Stoicism

Stoicism is a school of Hellenistic philosophy founded in Athens by Zeno of Citium around 300 BC. It teaches that virtue is the only true good and that external events are indifferent.

Core ideas

The dichotomy of control: Some things are up to us; others are not. Stoics focus only on what they can control — their judgments, desires, and actions.

Virtue is sufficient for happiness: External goods like wealth, health, and reputation are “preferred indifferents.” They may be sought, but they don’t determine flourishing.

Live according to nature: Human nature is rational. To live well is to live rationally, in accordance with logos.

Key figures

Zeno of Citium — founder
Epictetus — formerly enslaved philosopher; wrote the Enchiridion
Marcus Aurelius — Roman emperor; wrote Meditations
Seneca — statesman and essayist

Connections

Stoicism has influenced modern cognitive behavioral therapy. The idea that emotions arise from judgments — not events — maps directly onto CBT’s cognitive restructuring.