Stoics :: essays research papers

Stoicism was a group of philosophers in the First Century who made laws that they thought should be followed by the citizens of capital of Italy. Two of these laws were the concepts of rationality and nature. Marcus Aurelius was the Emperor of Rome at the time and he overly the most known Stoic. His concepts were vital to the survival of the Stoics. The concept of rationality is what tells a human being whats honorable and wrong and what should be done and what is good for the human and the state by thinking. the reason also, in respect which we are rational beings, is common if this is so, common also is the reason which commands us what to do, and what not to do if this is so, there is a common law also if this is so, we are fellow citizens if this is so, we are members of some political alliance if this is so, the world is in manner of a state.(1) Marcus Aurelius says here that the citizens who are ration beings as a p guile of the whole political spectrum, should combine to keep he world one state. He wants the world to join as one state and governed by one, the people are all part of the same political system, so they should join together. In his Meditations Aurelius talks about every action having a purpose. Let no act be done without a purpose, nor other than than according to the perfect principles of art.(2) He says here that the reason we have is because everything we do has a purpose. The purposes are there because they are the unwritten rules of art. These rules are abided because they just happen. The art sets its own rules through the purposes of the acts that are done. No act should be done if it does not follow the rules of art. Yet, the rules of are made by the acts purposes. This importee everything has a reason why it is done and the purposes are legitimate.A mans life does not become worse unless he makes it worse. That which does not make his life worse, nor does it harm him either from without or with in.(3) In this quote, Aurileus te lls the Stoics that the things that dont harm him wont make his life worse inside or outside including the soul. This meaning that a person should do what they feel is right, because it will not hurt them physically or mentally.