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Practical Stoicism

Practical Stoicism

By: Evergreen Podcasts
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About this listen

 Stoicism is the pursuit of Virtue (Aretê), which was defined by the Ancient Greeks as "the knowledge of how to live excellently," Stoicism is a holistic life philosophy meant to guide us towards the attainment of this knowledge through the development of our character. While many other Stoicism podcasts focus on explaining Ancient Stoicism in an academic or historical context, Practical Stoicism strives to port the ancient wisdom of this 2300-plus-year-old Greek Philosophy into contemporary times to provide practical advice for living today, not two millennia ago. Join American philosopher of Stoicism Tanner Campbell, every Monday and Friday, for new episodes.Evergreen Podcasts 2025 Philosophy Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Figs, Fate, and When to Quit (Meditations 4.6)

    Figs, Fate, and When to Quit (Meditations 4.6)
    Jun 24 2025
    This week I reflect on Meditations 4.6 and consider whether Marcus is really writing about death—or if he's reminding himself of the silliness of resisting what naturally unfolds. I explore the Stoic view of fate through the lens of the causal chain and point out where I think Stoicism allows some space for personal agency and emotional response. We also address the human tendency to lament things we cannot change, and I explain why indulging in that lamentation holds us back from our progress toward virtue. In the second half of the episode, I respond to a thoughtful listener question about how to let go of responsibilities when you've taken on too much. We dig into the difference between permanent and elective roles, what Stoicism asks of us when it comes to stepping away from duties, and how to abandon certain roles without abandoning our moral character in the process. “These are natural and necessary results from creatures of this kind, and one who wants this to be otherwise wants the fig-tree not to yield its acrid juice. And in general remember this, that within a very little while both he and you will be dead, and a little after not even your name nor his will be left.” — Meditations 4.6 Join the Practical Stoicism community, the Society of Stoics, at https://community.stoicismpod.com. Members enjoy ad-free episodes, weekly journaling prompts, a membership medallion, and access to regular live calls and discussions. Join today at https://community.stoicismpod.com. Buy my book: https://stoicismpod.com/book Read source material: https://stoicismpod.com/far Subscribe on YouTube: https://stoicismpod.com/youtube Follow me on Bluesky: https://stoicismpod.com/bluesky Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    23 mins
  • Fear of Death? Listen to This (Meditations 4.5)

    Fear of Death? Listen to This (Meditations 4.5)
    Jun 19 2025
    In this episode, I reflect on Meditations 4.5 and Marcus Aurelius’ effort to habituate acceptance of death as a natural and necessary part of life. Drawing from Marcus' experiences leading Rome through war and plague, I explore how his preoccupation with death wasn’t morbid, but practical—an attempt to remain aligned with Nature and his duty within the Cosmopolis. Death, like birth, is part of the universal order, and Stoicism teaches us that fearing it contradicts the very reason and nature we’re trying to live in accordance with. I also answer a listener question about the tension between patience and passivity. When someone wrongs us repeatedly, how do we maintain Stoic endurance without becoming doormats? I break down how context and role-based duties shape what it means to act justly, and I offer practical strategies for staying true to Stoic principles while setting boundaries that honor both ourselves and others. Midlife folks, click here: https://stoicismpod.com/midlife Meditations 4.5 Death is such as generation is, a mystery of nature… not a thing of which any man should be ashamed, for it is not contrary to the nature of a reasonable animal, and not contrary to the reason of our constitution. THREE TAKEAWAYS — Death is neither good nor bad—it’s a natural process necessary to life itself. — Stoic practice requires continual habituation, especially around fear and mortality. — Setting boundaries is not un-Stoic when done with reason and care for all parties involved. Join the Practical Stoicism community, the Society of Stoics, at https://community.stoicismpod.com. Members enjoy ad-free episodes, weekly journaling prompts, a membership medallion, and access to regular live calls and discussions. Join today at https://community.stoicismpod.com. Buy my book: https://stoicismpod.com/book Read source material: https://stoicismpod.com/far Subscribe on YouTube: https://stoicismpod.com/youtube Follow me on Bluesky: https://stoicismpod.com/bluesky Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    27 mins
  • Is Rape a Stoic Indifferent?

    Is Rape a Stoic Indifferent?
    Jun 10 2025
    In this episode, I respond to a challenging and emotionally heavy listener question: how can Stoicism claim that only Virtue is Good and only Vice is Evil, even in the face of horrific acts like rape? This isn’t a theoretical exercise in cruelty—it's a serious inquiry into Stoic ethical nuance. The heart of the issue is understanding what Stoicism means when it calls something "indifferent," and why it insists that moral value resides not in actions themselves, but in the moral character of the person choosing them. I explain the two definitions of indifferents in Stoicism: one refers to things that don’t affect our own character (if we’re not the actor), and the other refers to things whose moral value is undefined until context is applied. Through that lens, I show how horrific acts like rape are always unjust—and thus always vicious—not because of the physical actions involved, but because of the context in which they occur. This episode isn’t easy listening, but it’s essential for any serious student of Stoicism who wants to understand how Stoic ethics holds together even in the hardest moral cases. NO MEDITATION CITED THIS EPISODE THREE TAKEAWAYS — Stoicism distinguishes between actions and contexts; moral value is always determined by context. — Rape is not an indifferent in the moral sense; it is always an act of injustice, and thus always vicious. — Virtue and Vice remain the only true Good and Evil because context—not action—defines moral quality. Join the Practical Stoicism community, the Society of Stoics, at https://community.stoicismpod.com. Members enjoy ad-free episodes, weekly journaling prompts, a membership medallion, and access to regular live calls and discussions. Join today at https://community.stoicismpod.com. Buy my book: https://stoicismpod.com/book Read source material: https://stoicismpod.com/far Subscribe on YouTube: https://stoicismpod.com/youtube Follow me on Bluesky: https://stoicismpod.com/bluesky Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    26 mins
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This is a great podcast! I have learnt a lot and I may dare say grown so much just listening to this podcast and trying to think like a Stoic.

Great and thought provoking!

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