Stoicism and the Art of Happiness · Practical Wisdom for Everyday Life by Robertson, Donald -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Cover Title Acknowledgements The Metaphor of the Tree Contents Note on terminology and citations Preface: modern Stoicism

What’s this book all about? Why focus on Stoic Ethics and psychotherapy? A taste of the Stoic paradoxes Stoicism today in the modern world

1 The way of the Stoic: ‘Living in agreement with Nature’

Introduction: What is Stoicism? The goal of life: ‘living in agreement with Nature’ The twofold goal of life The three theoretical topics of Stoicism The three lived disciplines

2 Stoic Ethics: The nature of the good

What’s important about Stoic Ethics? The nature of the good The virtues and vices Stoic indifference to ‘indifferent’ things Preferred indifferents and primary value

3 The promise of philosophy (‘therapy of the passions’)

What is the ancient ‘promise of philosophy’? The Stoic concept of Happiness (Eudaimonia) The Stoic theory of the ‘passions’ Automatic emotional reactions What about the ‘good’ or ‘healthy’ passions?

4 The discipline of desire (Stoic acceptance)

What is the discipline of desire? Contemplating the ‘here and now’ Loving your fate and joyful acceptance

5 Love, friendship, and the ideal Sage

Stoicism and the philosophy of love Stoic philanthropy and ‘affinity’ for others How does a Stoic love? Why is the Sage important to Stoicism? How to contemplate the Sage The seeds of wisdom in everyone

6 The discipline of action (Stoic philanthropy)

What is the ‘discipline of action’? Undertaking action with a ‘reserve clause’ The Stoic archer Undertaking action ‘for the common welfare’ of mankind

7 Premeditation of adversity

Why is anticipating future ‘misfortunes’ important? How do Stoics premeditate adversity? Habituation and imaginal exposure Decatastrophizing imagery Modelling and rehearsing coping skills Eliminating surprise Reversing ‘hedonic adaptation’?

8 The discipline of judgement (Stoic mindfulness)

What is the ‘discipline of judgement’? Stoic psychology and theory of knowledge ‘Objective representation’ and ‘physical definition’ Cognitive distancing in Stoicism

9 Self-awareness and the ‘Stoic Fork’

How is self-awareness developed in Stoicism? The ‘Stoic Fork’ or ‘sovereign’ precept Postponement: not getting ‘carried-away’ Why meditate morning and night?

10 The view from above and Stoic cosmology

Why is contemplating Nature important? The Pythagorean ‘festival’ The ‘view from above’ and ‘cosmic consciousness’ The contemplation of impermanence and ‘eternal recurrence’

11 The Stoic contemplation of death

Why is contemplating your death important? Death is no evil Death is ordained by Nature