Donald Robertson

Québec

Author at Stoicism: Philosophy as a Way of Life

Author of "How to Think Like a Roman Emperor", and "How to Think Like Socrates". President of the Plato's Academy Centre @platoacademycen in Athens.

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Articles

The target was not set up in order to be missed...

3 days ago | donaldrobertson.substack.com | Donald Robertson

Just as a mark is not set up in order to be missed, so neither does the nature of evil arise in the universe. The Stoics believed that the universe was created by Providence and that nothing in nature could therefore be evil when considered in relation to the whole because everything exists by the Will of God. Nothing Providence does is in error, so nothing that is part of the natural order can be evil. Epictetus here leaves open the question of how evil can arise in human nature.
Check out My Conversation with Sam Harris

1 week ago | donaldrobertson.substack.com | Donald Robertson

This currently requires a subscription but if you’re on Substack, you might be interested in checking out my conversation withbelow. The episode is available on the, along with myon Stoicism. (Free trials are available.) Stay tuned for news of my forthcoming AMA on Waking Up.Claim your Free Trial of Waking Up
Medicine for the Mind: Donald Robertson on Ancient Therapies for Modern Stressors

1 week ago | donaldrobertson.substack.com | Donald Robertson

A while back I was interviewed by Larry Weeks for his Bounce podcast. You can listen to the episode on his website, on Spotify, or Apple podcasts. Stoicism: Philosophy as a Way of Life is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. We explore many of the tools and exercises Stoicism offers for emotional regulation and resilience, and examine the idea that the early Stoics were the first psychotherapists.
The Most Profound Saying About Anger?

1 week ago | donaldrobertson.substack.com | Donald Robertson

In a collection of fragments from ancient philosophers and poets, known as the Anthology of Joannes Stobaeus, there’s a section titled On Anger. It opens with a quote attributed to the poet Theognis, which may be one of the most profound sayings I’ve ever come across on this topic. Nothing, Cyrnus, is more unjust than anger, which harms the one who possesses it, yielding to cowardly things through indignation.
Listen to my Conversation with Sam Harris

3 weeks ago | donaldrobertson.substack.com | Donald Robertson

I recently spoke with Sam Harris about the parallels between Stoicism and Buddhism, and how Stoic techniques can be compared to mindfulness practices. You can listen to the podcast episode on the Waking Up app. If you’re not already subscribed, you can get a free 30 day trial of the app by following this link. You’ll also find my whole Mindful Stoicism audio course on the app, consisting of sixteen sessions, spanning more than three hours.
How the Stoics Defined Anger

3 weeks ago | donaldrobertson.substack.com | Donald Robertson

Our two main sources for Stoic theory are the chapter on Zeno in Diogenes Laertius’ Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers and a the sections on Stoicism in the Anthology of Johannes Stobaeus, which is believed to draw upon an earlier work summarizing doctrines by the philosopher Areus Didymos. First, I’ll look at the central definition of anger given in each of these two texts and then we’ll explore the distinctions they go on to make between different species of anger.
Can Democracy Survive the 21st Century?

4 weeks ago | platosacademycentre.substack.com | Donald Robertson

At a time when headlines scream of political division and rising authoritarianism, we pose the question: Can ancient wisdom guide us through modern chaos? Plato’s Academy Centre invites you to a groundbreaking virtual conference:Democracy & TyrannySaturday, 26th July | 1 PM EDT | Attendance FREEEveryone is welcome. Attendance is completely free of charge, although donations to our nonprofit are gratefully received. Videos of all presentations will be sent to you after the event if you register now.
Sophists in the Manosphere

1 month ago | donaldrobertson.substack.com | Donald Robertson

In the following modified excerpts from my recent book, How to Think Like Socrates, I discuss some similarities in the language used by ancient Sophists and modern influencers in the Manosphere. The ancient Sophists mainly earned a living by teaching privileged adolescent boys. Perhaps inevitably, they appear at times to have exploited their young students’ natural insecurities about being sufficiently manly.
The Stoicism of Thomas Jefferson

1 month ago | donaldrobertson.substack.com | Donald Robertson |Donald Robertson

Epictetus and Epicurus give laws for governing ourselves… — JeffersonI’m staying near Washington DC at the moment and took the opportunity to visit the Thomas Jefferson’s Library exhibit at the Library of Congress. I’m the author of several books on Stoicism, including How to Think Like a Roman Emperor: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius.
Download "A Guide to How to Think Like Socrates"

1 month ago | donaldrobertson.substack.com | Donald Robertson

We worked with several graphic designers and artists to create this free fourteen-page guide to the life and thought of Socrates — just for you! It’s the perfect introduction to my latest book How to Think Like Socrates. Just click on download button below to get your hands on the PDF. A Guide To How To Think Like Socrates4.46MB ∙ PDF fileDownload our free fourteen-page illustrated guide to the life and thought of Socrates.