Welcome to The Stoic Foundation
Wherever I
go it will be well with me.
— Epictetus, DISCOURSES 4.7.14
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Here is Zeno of Citium (in Cyprus), who founded the Stoic school in Ancient Greece in about 300 BC. He met with his students under the stoa (Greek for colonnade) on the north-eastern side of the marketplace at Athens, and thus followers of his teaching have since that time been known as Stoics. |
Zeno of Citium, brought alive by Daniel Stain.
The Stoic Foundation was established in 2000 by Keith Seddon, the current Director of the Foundation, as an educational trust, offering advice, support and a correspondence course in practical Stoic philosophy to anyone interested in taking up Stoicism as a philosophy to live by.
The Essence of Stoicism
The Stoics taught that the true goal of all human beings is happiness and ‘a smooth flow of life’. To achieve this end, the Stoic student re-evaluates their values and commits themselves to striving for excellence. The endeavour to do this constitutes living as a philosopher, as someone concerned not with what they have, but with what they are.
Latest Publication
An Outline of Cynic Philosophy: Antisthenes of Athens and Diogenes of Sinope in Diogenes Laertius Book Six
The Cynics were the forerunners of the Stoic outlook: the founder of Stoicism, Zeno of Citium had as his first teacher Crates the Cynic. Here is an account of the Lifes of Antisthenes of Athens and Diogenes of Sinope, accompanied by other Cynics from the Hellenistic period, supported by a modern Introduction that outlines Cynic philosophy. It was written by Diogenes Laertius in about AD 230, drawing on dozens of ancient books that no longer survive, making this book an important resource for readers who want to know what the early Cynics said. Available from Lulu.com. Also available at
Barnes&Noble,
Amazon.co.uk
This book will be an extremely useful resource for those who wish to find out about Cynic philosophy as a way of life, and its influence on the Stoic outlook.
Previous Publications
A Summary of Stoic Philosophy: Zeno of Citium in Diogenes Laertius Book Seven
Here is an account of the Life of Zeno, along with a detailed summary of Stoic philosophy. It was written by Diogenes Laertius in about AD 230, drawing on dozens of ancient books that no longer survive, making this book an important resource for readers who want to know what the early Stoics said. Available from Lulu.com. Also available at
Barnes&Noble,
Blackwell,
Amazon.co.uk
This book will be an extremely useful resource for those who have adopted Stoic philosophy as a way of life.
Stoic Serenity: A Practical Course on Finding Inner Peace
The Stoic Foundation’s correspondence course is now
available as a paperback book for those who would like to work through
the course without tutor support. Available from Lulu.com.
Also available at Barnes&Noble, Blackwell,
Amazon.co.uk
This book contains all the course papers from the correspondence course, but also features extra material, including sample responses to students’ written assignments, two essays on determinism and the passions (see links to web versions of these in the right-hand column), and more.
Epictetus’ Handbook and the Tablet of Cebes: Guides to Stoic Living
This is my book featuring a new translation of the Handbook
of Epictetus, accompanied by a thorough commentary and extensive
glossary, including indexes of Key Terms used in the text in both
English and Greek listings. Included in this edition is a new
translation of the intriguing ancient text The Tablet of Cebes
which takes the reader on a strange journey of self-discovery.
Available from the publisher,
Routledge, or from Blackwell,
Barnes&Nobel,
Amazon.co.uk
[See the author’s errata for this edition.]
Stoic Foundation Bookstore
Please visit the Stoic Foundation Bookstore at Amazon.co.uk to see my recommendations for starting a Stoic library. The Bookstore is mirrored at Amazon.com.
Or take a look at these suggestions from Amazon.co.uk
and these from Amazon.com
Or use the search boxes with these suggested search terms:
stoic philosophy
seneca
epictetus
marcus aurelius
Stoic Video of the Month
(links to one my favourite videos at YouTube)
Professoranton
A primer for Stoicism
See my Distance Learning Programs at Warnborough College
The Warnborough College MA in Ancient Philosophy
The Warnborough College PhD in Ancient Philosophy
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