The Stoic Life Emotions, Duties, and Fate [Paperback]

Tad Brennan explains how to live the Stoic life--and why we might want to. Stoicism has been one of the main currents of thought in Western civilization for two thousand years: Brennan offers a fascinating guide through the ethical ideas of the original Stoic philosophers, and shows how valuable these ideas remain today, both intellectually and in practice. He writes in a lively informal style which will bring Stoicism to life for readers who are new to ancient philosophy.The Stoic Lifewill also be of great interest to philosophers and classicists seeking a full understanding of the intellectual legacy of the Stoics.

I. Introduction
1. Why be a Stoic?
2. The Ancient Stoics: People and Sources
3. The Ancient Philosophical Background
4. A Philosophical Orientation to Stoicism
II. Psychology
5. Impressions and Assent
6. Belief and Knowledge
7. Impulses and Emotions
III. Ethics
8. Goods and Indifferents
9. Final Ends
10. Oikeiosis and Others
11. Befitting Actions, Part I
12. Befitting Actions, Part II
13. Befitting Actions, Part III
IV. Fate
14. God and Fate
15. Necessity and Responsibility
16. The Lazy Argument
17. The Evolution of the Will
Conclusion
18. Taking Stock

Brennan's book is an unusual specimen: a scholarly book that is hard to put down.... Highly recommended. --CHOICE

Tad Brennanis Professor of Philosophy at Northwestern University.