He was amazed by the work of Socrates and what he had learned. He began educating his own students.He had three pillars on which Stoicism stands:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Virtue</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Tolerance</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Self-control</li></ul>

Zeno of Cyprus

The name comes from the Stoa Poikile, a decorated public colonnade where Zeno had discussions with other people.In our world now, "Stoic" means someone who remains calm under pressure.But the original philosophy was about the rational structure of the universe. They called it "logos." For a better imagination, it could represent the brain, nerves, and webs.

Stoicism: Where Did It Come From?

We can control our emotions, opinions, mood, and reactions to situations.We often get triggered by our opinions and react angrily.In the end, we are responsible for 99% of our problems.Think about it next time when you are about to explode on someone for something trivial.

Focus on What You Can Control

Wisdom - Navigate complex situations calmly and informatively.Temperance - Self-moderation.Justice - Fairness.Courage - Facing daily challenges with integrity.

Cardinal Virtues

Even to live is an act of courage

The whole philosophy is not about being selfish or passive.It is about making rational, beautiful choices to help us live meaningful lives and improve ourselves on a daily basis.

Not Self-Minded or Passive

Summary of video showing us what Stoicism Philosophy is about!

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-philosophy-of-stoicism-massimo-pigliucci

What is the best life we can live? How can we cope with whatever the universe throws at us and keep thriving nonetheless? The ancient Greco-Roman philosophy of Stoicism explains that while we may not always have control over the events affecting us, we can have control over how we approach things. Massimo Pigliucci describes the philosophy of Stoicism. 

Lesson by Massimo Pigliucci, animation by Compote Collective.

philosophy

Philosophy

religionandspirituality

Religion & Spirituality

history

History

mindfulness

Mindfulness

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Videos

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TED-Ed

The philosophy of Stoicism - Massimo Pigliucci

"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving."

"If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency, and vibration."

Stephen Hawking:"Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change."

"Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration."

Discover powerful and inspiring quotes from some of history's greatest scientists.

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

motivationandinspiration

Motivation & Inspiration

books

Books

Wise Words From Famous Scientists 

Never give up on something that you can't go a day without thinking about.

Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm

If you're going through hell, keep going

The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see

Plans are of little importance, but planning is essential.

Never give in--never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.

the price of greatness is responsibility over each of your thoughts

You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life.

I have taken more from alcohol than alcohol has ever taken from me

Some men change their party for the sake of their principles; others their principles for the sake of their party.

Without tradition, art is a flock of sheep without a shepherd. Without innovation, it is a corpse

All the great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope.’

Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery

Those who can win a war well can rarely make a good peace and those who could make a good peace would never have won the war

Solitary Trees if they grow at all, grow strong

Don't give your son money. As far as you can afford it, give him horses. No one ever came to grief, except honourable grief, through riding horses. No hour of life is lost that is spent in the saddle. Young men have often been ruined through owning horses, or through backing horses, but never through riding them; unless of course they break their necks, which, taken at a gallop, is a very good death to die.

Thus ended the great American Civil War, which must upon the whole be considered the noblest and least avoidable of all the great mass conflicts of which till then there was record.

Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened.

Quote of Churchill

Socrates, Callicles, and other characters are discussing Gorgias' speech outside a public building. Socrates missed the lecture but wants to speak to Gorgias in person. His friends arrange a meeting between the two.Socrates is particularly interested in understanding what Gorgias' skill entails. Gorgias claims to be an orator and explains that oratory involves giving speeches to persuade people in public. When Socrates asks for more details, Gorgias elaborates that oratory deals with discussions about what is right and wrong.

Introduction

Socrates attempts to distinguish between knowledge and mere argument. Gorgias agrees that orators do not necessarily teach about what is right or wrong but rather focus on how to persuade others. In other words, public speakers don't need extensive knowledge on a subject—they only need to appear knowledgeable.Gorgias also defends orators by saying they shouldn't be blamed if their students misuse their skills, just as a boxing teacher wouldn't be blamed if a student misuses their training.

The Nature Of Oratory

Socrates then explores whether having knowledge about a subject makes a person embody that knowledge—such as whether someone who knows what is right and wrong would be a righteous person. Socrates finds it illogical when Gorgias agrees. If oratory were about doing what is right, an orator wouldn't misuse their skills, contradicting Gorgias' earlier statement.

The Ethical Implications of Oratory

Polus, a young orator, interrupts to challenge Socrates, accusing him of rudeness. He questions Socrates’ view on oratory, to which Socrates responds that he sees it as mere flattery rather than an art. Socrates likens oratory to baking, suggesting that just as bakers provide immediate gratification through sweets, orators flatter their listeners without aiming for long-term good. True skills, Socrates argues, should promote lasting benefits—health for the body and justice for the soul—whereas oratory only seeks to please in the short term.

Polus Enters the Debate

Polus defends orators by highlighting their societal power, comparable to rulers who can imprison or kill. Socrates counters by asserting that true rulers do not always achieve their desires, as true desires should be directed toward the good. Even if a ruler or orator believes their unjust actions are good, they are not genuinely fulfilling their desires. Polus reluctantly agrees that wrongdoers should be punished, though he notes that many evade punishment and remain happy. Socrates refutes this, arguing that true happiness comes from facing justice, which cleanses the soul of wrongdoing.

Callicles, another interlocutor, accuses Socrates of pandering to the crowd and rejects his moral views. He argues that justice is a tool for the weak to control the strong, and that superior individuals should naturally dominate society. Socrates, however, insists that even the superior must control their desires to rule justly. Callicles dismisses this idea, advocating for a life of indulgence and freedom from restraint. Socrates attempts to show that a regulated life is better, distinguishing between what is pleasant and what is genuinely good.

Callicles Challenges Socrates

This is, in fact, how Justice is determined: the stronger shall rule and have the advantage over his inferior.

Socrates argues that not all pleasures are beneficial, and not all pains are harmful. Discerning this difference is crucial to living well, and this leads to a debate over whether a life focused on politics or philosophy is better. While both Socrates and Callicles agree that oratory can serve the body and soul, Socrates argues that most public speakers prioritize personal gain over the public good. He emphasizes that the soul should be well-ordered, and that a good orator would prioritize the soul's well-being, just as a doctor considers long-term health.

In the conclusion, Socrates acknowledges that he might not fare well in court, as people often prefer comforting lies to hard truths. However, he remains unafraid of any misfortune, focusing instead on the state of his soul when facing judgment in the afterlife. Socrates urges Callicles to join him in pursuing the best life possible, warning him with a story from Homer’s Odyssey about the judgment of souls.

Socrates concludes by asserting that doing wrong is worse than suffering wrong, being truly good is more important than merely appearing good, and oratory should only support what is just. He advises that if one seeks happiness in this life and the afterlife, they should follow the path of philosophy rather than waste time on politics and public speaking.

The struggle which Plato has Socrates recommend to his interlocutors in Gorgias - and to his readers - is the struggle to overcome the temptations of worldly success and to concentrate on genuine morality. Ostensibly an enquiry into the value of rhetoric, the dialogue soon becomes an investigation into the value of these two contrasting ways of life. In a series of dazzling and bold arguments, Plato attempts to establish that only morality can bring a person true happiness, and to demolish alternative viewpoints. It is not suprising that Gorgias is one of Plato's most widely read dialogues. Philosophers read it for its coverage of central moral issues; others enjoy its vividness, clarity and occasional bitter humour. This new translation is accompanied by explanatory notes and an informative introduction.

politics

Politics

Plato

Gorgias

Ever heard of the book "Shogun", the book by James Clavell? It recently got adapted to a very successful TV series.It's historical fan fiction, but with a real-life protagonist! The story is based on none other than Ieyasu Tokugawa, the shogun who brought Japan together. He is called Toranaga in the book, while John Blackthorne, the English main character, is modeled after a real person named William Adams.While the names in the book are changed, the epic tale of power, strategy, and really cool samurai outfits is all inspired by Ieyasu's life. Talk about living a life worthy of a bestseller!

From Historical Figure to Literary Legend

Before Ieyasu, Japan was broken into hundreds of kingdoms, all fighting against each-other.Plot twist: Japan's "great unifier" isn't just one person - it's a trio! The unification process got started by a brutal warlord named Oda Nobunaga. Oda had 2 wingmen: Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu. After Nobunaga's death, Hideyoshi got the "crown" and Ieyasu only became shogun after his death.Ieyasu outlasted the other two, proving that in the game of thrones (Japanese edition), it's not about who unifies first, but who unifies last.

The Great Unifier... Or One of Them, Anyway

Ieyasu's greatest hit? That would be Edo, better known today as Tokyo - you know, just the largest city in the world!It's like he founded ancient Japan's version of New York City. Ieyasu took a sleepy fishing village and turned it into the coolest spot in Japan. Fast forward a few centuries, and his little pet project is now a bustling metropolis of neon lights, bullet trains, and more vending machines than you can shake a katana at. Not bad for a guy from the 17th century!

Edo: Ieyasu's Urban Legacy

Most of those awesome samurai stories, ninja legends, and geisha tales? They're not from the war-torn times you'd expect, but from the peaceful Edo period that Ieyasu kicked off. It's like the warriors got bored without all the fighting and decided to become history's coolest liberal arts majors.With no wars to wage, they turned to arts, literature, and probably inventing really elaborate tea ceremonies. It's thanks to this era that we have all those cool Japanese cultural exports. Ieyasu essentially turned warriors into poets - now that's what you call a plot twist!

Samurais, Ninjas, and Geishas: The Peaceful Warrior's Paradox

Discover some fun facts behind the stories in Paladin, the new history app from the creators of Deepstash.

artsandculture

Society, Arts & Culture

Understand yourself and those around you.

psychology

Psychology

Prelude to Paladin

Tokugawa Ieyasu, the shogun who shaped modern Japan was a fascinating figure. Learn his story in the Paladin app.

education

Learning & Education

Prelude to Shogun

When Abraham Lincoln entered the world, the Republican Party was just a twinkle in the eye of history. The Republican party emerged from the ashes of the Whigs party, which dissolved itself not being able to take a position on slavery.Lincoln didn't just join the party; he became its poster child, snagging the title of first Republican president.

The Birth of a Republican Icon

Lincoln's nickname "Honest Abe" wasn't a campaign gimmick - he earned those stripes way back in his Illinois days. As a young lawyer, he built a reputation for being more truthful than a polygraph machine. Taking on cases for the poor and unrepresented also added to his good reputation.In a world of smooth-talking lawyers, Lincoln was refreshingly blunt.

Honest Abe: The OG Truth-Teller

Abraham Lincoln recently got portrayed as a monster hunter in books & on the big screen. Historically infused entertainment!Was Lincoln really a vampire hunter? Well, he was tall, handy with an axe, and definitely took down some metaphorical monsters. The whole vampire thing is a clever analogy for his fight against slavery, with slave owners cast as the bloodsuckers. While he never actually staked any undead, Lincoln did drive a stake through the heart of the institution of slavery. No garlic or silver bullets required!

Vampire Hunter or Metaphorical Monster Slayer?

Contrary to popular belief, Lincoln didn't come out swinging against slavery from day one of his presidency. He played it cool for the first couple of years, trying to keep the Union intact.How about the famous Emancipation Proclamation? The key document that freed all slaves in the US? It was a strategic move, dropping only after the Union scored a battlefield win at Antietam. Timing was everything - he needed to look like a bold leader, not a desperate one. Especially as the big European powers (the British and the French) were watching the US Civil War, undecided which side to lean on.

The Emancipation Proclamation: A Well-Timed Power Move

Contrary to what you might think, Lincoln didn't dash off the Gettysburg Address right after the battle's gun smoke cleared. Nope, he delivered that famous speech a full six months after the battle, during a visit to dedicate the battlefield.It's like showing up fashionably late to a party, but then giving a toast so good that everyone forgets you weren't there for the main event. Lincoln's words turned a belated appearance into one of history's most memorable speeches.

The Gettysburg Address: Fashion Late, Historically Great

Had John Wilkes Booth (the infamous assassin at the theatre) not turned Lincoln into a martyr, history might remember Honest Abe a bit differently. Sure, he freed the slaves, but he also made some controversial calls:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Going to war instead of respecting states' rights? Check.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Censoring the press and jailing political opponents? Double check.</li></ul>Lincoln's presidency was more complex than a game of 4D chess. His assassination, tragic as it was, solidified his spot in the pantheon of presidential greats.

Lincoln's Complicated Legacy

Surprising facts about the 16th president. Discover his whole story on the Paladin app.

Prelude to Lincoln

Surprise! Cleopatra, Egypt's most famous pharaoh, was actually Greek. She ruled from Alexandria, a city founded by her Greek predecessor, Alexander the Great. And since then, her family was acting as the "face of Egypt", while secretly living Greek lives, isolated from any Egyptian cultural interference!In this sense Cleopatra was a bit of a rebel as she apparently took interest in the language and culture of her subjects. She was the first in her family to do so in about 300 years. Too bad she was also the last.

The Greek Pharaoh of Egypt

During Cleopatra's reign, Alexandria boasted a unique tourist attraction: Alexander the Great's tomb. This ancient world wonder drew powerful Romans like Caesar and Antony, eager for a brush with legendary greatness.Their visits to Alexander's resting place symbolized the deep connections between Hellenistic and Roman cultures, and highlighted Alexandria's significance in the ancient world. Cleopatra likely used these visits to enhance her own prestige and strengthen diplomatic ties.

In the Shadow of Alexander's Legacy

The legendary Library of Alexandria met a fiery fate during Cleopatra's time, thanks to a royal sibling squabble gone wrong. As Caesar battled Cleopatra's brother, the grand repository of knowledge accidentally went up in flames.This catastrophic loss of countless scrolls marked the end of an era in human learning. Lesson learned: family feuds and priceless libraries don't mix well.

The Great Library Bonfire: An Accidental Inferno

Much of Cleopatra's story comes from Roman sources – talk about a biased history lesson! As a female absolute ruler and living goddess, she embodied everything Romans loved to hate. Cue the ancient world's biggest smear campaign!They painted her as a seductress and threat when really, she was out there running an empire and serving diplomatic realness. This propaganda overshadowed her intelligence and political savvy, proving that fake news isn't just a modern problem.

Cleopatra: Victim of History's Oldest Smear Campaign

The Ptolemaic dynasty turned family drama into an extreme sport. Cleopatra's dynasty was notorious for its brutality, with family members often murdering each other for power. Cleopatra herself was not exempt from this ruthless tradition, allegedly responsible for the deaths of her two younger brothers and her sister.This familial violence, while shocking by modern standards, was often a necessity for survival in the cutthroat world of ancient politics.

The Ptolemaic Dynasty: Where Family Reunions Get Deadly

Some little known facts about one of the most famous women in history. Learn her whole story and test your knowledge in the Paladin app.

Prelude to Cleopatra

Most lawyers are not lawyers; I'm talking about qualities, not about qualifications! Note: it applies to all professions.

career

Career

strategy

Strategy

"Don't wait for the helicopters to rescue you"

In 1972, a plane carrying 45 passengers, including rugby players, crashed into the Andes. Faced with harsh conditions, 33 passengers initially survived, but bad circumstances quickly tested their resilience.

Survival Against Odds

"I had to survive at 19 so I could help others with their own 'mountains' so that they could also have a chance"

The survivors endured extreme cold, snow blindness, starvation and avalanches, creatively using the plane's wreckage and their surroundings for shelter and sustenance. They ultimately resorted to eating deceased friends and family members, highlighting their desperate will to survive.

Resourcefulness and Adaptation

Their turning point came when a transistor radio provided news of rescue operations. After realizing no help was imminent, survivors resolved to seek aid themselves, showcasing the power of determination.

Hope in Despair

As we used to say in the mountains, "Breathe. Breathe again. With every breath, you are alive." After all these years, this still the best advice I can give you: Savor your existence. Live every moment. Do not waste a breath

Three survivors embarked on a dangerous journey over the mountains without gear or experience. After a difficult trek, they encountered a local farmer who initiated a rescue mission. Their persistence led to the eventual rescue of 16 survivors.

A Journey Towards Rescue

One of the things that was destroyed when we crashed into the mountain was our connection to society. But our ties to one another grew stronger every day. What we did was stabilize the injury and stitch together new ties made of metal and glass, of strength and sensitivity, of intelligence and emotion, to protect us as a group and not as isolated individuals. We survived together, like separate organs working together to save the body as a whole.

This extraordinary story highlights themes of hope, endurance, and the resilience of the human spirit, proving that with determination and unity, even the most impossible challenges can be overcomed.

Lessons of Humanity

Discover the inspiring story of endurance and human spirit from the 1972 Andes plane crash.

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In today's video, we dive deep into the harrowing tale of survival known as the "Miracle of the Andes." A rugby team and their loved ones boarded a plane in Uruguay, expecting a short flight to Chile. But fate had other plans. Stranded in the Andes mountains after a tragic crash, these survivors faced unimaginable challenges, from brutal weather to scarce food supplies. Their determination and will to live led them to make heart-wrenching decisions. With clips from the movie "Alive" and various documentaries, we'll explore their 72-day ordeal and the incredible rescue that brought them home. Join us as we uncover the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

Link to the videos mentioned - 
India's Worst Plane Crash | Only Mid-Air Collision in History | Dhruv Rathee - https://youtu.be/klnYxLLcceE?si=UJ3HGO6wsp9GCNiR
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Mystery of Flight 571 | World's Greatest Miracle | Dhruv Rathee

Socrates, the philosopher, meets Phaedrus, a young rhetoric student, outside the city walls of Athens. Socrates wants to hear Lysias's speech for himself after hearing that Phaedrus had just come from listening to the famous orator Lysias.He convinces Phaedrus, who has Lysias's speech with him, to read it out loud.

Meeting Between Socrates and Phaedrus

In his speech, Lysias argues to a young man that it is better to be physically involved with someone who isn’t in love with you than with someone who is. Lysias says that one main reason for this is that people in love aren’t thinking straight; they act based on a forced craziness instead of free will. He also tries to convince his audience that friendship, not love, is better in the long run when it comes to social benefits.

Lysias’s Argument Against Love

When Phaedrus sees that Socrates doesn’t like Lysias’s speech, he convinces his friend to give his own speech instead. Although reluctant, Socrates agrees and delivers a speech that is a parody of Lysias’s.Like Lysias, Socrates speaks as a man who wants to persuade a younger man to sleep with him, even though they’re not in a romantic relationship. He argues that love is a crazy state that occurs when desire takes over, causing people to lose their sense of right and wrong.

Socrates’s Parody of Lysias’s Speech

This craziness makes people withhold good things from their loved ones out of jealousy, and they even avoid philosophy, which is the source of all happiness. Eventually, love runs out of fuel and dies, leaving both men worse off than they were before.

As Socrates finishes his speech and is about to leave, he feels a divine push, sensing that his words have offended the gods by insulting Eros, the god of love. Socrates then gives a new speech.He takes a completely different stance, arguing that it’s wrong to reject a lover's advances just because they’re crazy. He asserts that divine madness is a gift from the gods and that love is the best kind of madness.

Socrates’s Defense of Love

Types Of Madness By Socrates1. Prophetic Madness: Inspired by Apollo, this type of madness is associated with prophecy and divination. It is the ability to foresee the future and is seen in oracles and seers.2. Ritual Madness: Associated with Dionysus, this madness relates to religious rites and rituals, particularly those involving purification and the mystic frenzy of the Bacchic cults. It is seen as a form of spiritual release and liberation from the ordinary constraints of life.

3. Poetic Madness: Linked to the Muses, this madness inspires poets, artists, and musicians, enabling them to create works of art that transcend ordinary human experience.4. Erotic Madness: Inspired by Aphrodite and Eros, this type of madness is related to love and the intense passion that drives individuals to form deep and meaningful connections. Socrates considers this the highest form of madness, as it leads the soul closer to the divine through the pursuit of true beauty and love.

but in fact the best things we have come from madness, when it is given as a gift of the god.

Socrates gives a detailed description of the soul to support this idea. He uses a metaphor, comparing the soul to a chariot with wings pulled by two horses—one noble and the other driven by base desires. Some souls can control their horses and reach the top of heaven (The Noble), where they can see eternal truths, but most are pulled back down to earth by the lowly horse (unruly). People (The novels) who remember glimpsing eternal beauty in a past life are always looking up (Eternal Truths), which makes ordinary people (lowly) think they’re crazy.

The Metaphor of the Chariot

The Role of Philosophy in LoveSocrates explains that a soul interested in philosophy will work hard to control its base horse by being self-disciplined and remembering the beauty of heaven. After much practice, the lowly horse is finally tamed, and the lover has a passionate relationship with his beloved that focuses on the beauty of thought rather than physical desire. A soul can only be directed toward heaven in this type of relationship, making it better to be with someone who loves you than someone who doesn’t.

Phaedrus agrees that Socrates’ second speech is better than Lysias’s, but he can’t quite explain why. This leads Socrates and Phaedrus to discuss rhetoric and the difference between good and bad speech.Socrates begins by saying that speech should concern truth, not just things that seem convincing. He then argues that if rhetoric is the leading of the soul by means of speech, then a speaker needs to know what the soul is.

Socrates and Phaedrus on Rhetoric

They examine Lysias’s speech together, noting how he failed to properly identify his subject from the start. Socrates stresses that clear meaning is crucial and ties it to the philosophical method of dialectic, which involves asking questions one at a time to gain more understanding.

Critique of Lysias’s Speech

He carefully divided the concept of madness in his own speech to help his audience grasp his point that love is a good form of madness. Additionally, he argues that the soul is central to the practice of rhetoric.Socrates asserts that someone who has only learned rhetorical techniques cannot claim to be an expert in the art of rhetoric unless they know how to apply rhetorical remedies to specific souls in specific situations.

Socrates’s Rhetorical Method

Finally, Socrates and Phaedrus discuss the appropriateness of writing speeches. Socrates views writing as a relatively new and mixed tool because it makes wisdom appear more impressive while actually diminishing its reality. This is because writing is silent and lifeless; it can’t answer questions or face challenges. Thus, Philosophical dialectic is superior because it is tailored to each soul and leads that soul to knowledge through interaction.

Writing vs. Philosophical Dialectic

&quot;A superb translation that captures the rhetorical brilliance of the Greek. . . . The translation is faithful in the very best sense: it reflects both the meaning and the beauty of the Greek text. . . . The footnotes are always helpful, never obtrusive. A one-page outline is useful since there are no editorial additions to mark major divisions in the dialogue. An appendix containing fragments of early Greek love poetry helps the reader appreciate the rich, and perhaps elusive, meaning of eros. . . . The entire Introduction is crisply written, and the authors' erudition shines throughout, without a trace of pedantry. . . . this is an excellent book that deservedly should find wide circulation for many years to come.&quot; --Tim Mahoney, University of Texas at Arlington

Alexander Nehamas

Paul Woodruff

Phaedrus

Find 100+ fun History Facts - European, American, Black, Asian across various periods - Curated by our community from books, articles or documentaries

The philosophy of Stoicism - Massimo Pigliucci

Wise Words From Famous Scientists

Quote of Churchill

Gorgias

Prelude to Shogun

Prelude to Lincoln

Prelude to Cleopatra

Law

Mystery of Flight 571 | World's Greatest Miracle | Dhruv Rathee

Phaedrus

It's time to
Read like a Pro.

The philosophy of Stoicism - Massimo Pigliucci

Wise Words From Famous Scientists

Quote of Churchill

Gorgias

Prelude to Shogun

Prelude to Lincoln

Prelude to Cleopatra

Law

Mystery of Flight 571 | World's Greatest Miracle | Dhruv Rathee

Phaedrus

It's time to Read like a Pro.

It's time to
Read like a Pro.