Dingin Yaşam Gnothi Seauton | Kendini Bil
You may have heard the phrase “Happiness is in our hands” a lot. This phrase, which has become a toy in the hands of popular culture, actually forms the basis of one of the greatest philosophical movements of all time, the philosophy of Stoicism. According to the Stoics, Happiness Is Really In Our Hands! But how? In this article, what is stoicism? What Does Stoicism Mean? We will seek answers to questions such as what are the foundations of Stoic Philosophy. These answers will lead us to the true source of happiness.
You can review the words of famous Stoic Philosophers that shed light on life here:
- Seneca Quotes
- Epictetus Quotes
- Marcus Aurelius Quotes
What is Stoicism?
So What Is Stoicism? Stoicism is one of the four main philosophical currents in ancient Athens. Stoicism was actually a school of philosophy at that time. Stoicism, the foundations of which were laid by Zeno of Cyprus, went through a total of three different periods with its establishment phase. In every period, this philosophy was influenced by other movements and took its present form with various syntheses. So what does stoicism advocate?
According to the Stoic movement, man is a being who can be happy on his own. And it does not matter what the external conditions are for this happiness. That is, under any circumstance, one can be happy. He can achieve this happiness according to his ability to control his own thoughts in the face of events.
To expand the subject a little more, in order for a person to be happy by himself, he must not be controlled by his pleasures and desires. Again, according to the Stoics, one should not be a prisoner of fear and pain. If he is protected against such external things, a person can also prevent them from affecting him.
One of the best answers to the question of what is stoicism is virtue and reason. According to the Stoic philosophy, the only thing that can make people happy is the mind combined with virtue and reason. Physical things to be obtained from outside are not essential for true happiness.
Other points that Stoic considers important are honesty and fairness. The Stoic philosophy, which recommends being honest and fair with others, tells that honesty and fairness are the real sources of peace.
One answer to the question of what is stoicism is logic. The Stoics place great emphasis on logic. According to this philosophy, people can distinguish between logic and right and wrong.
According to the Stoics, the universe is governed by a divine authority. And again, according to this philosophy, people are basically equal to each other. Everything is interconnected and man is part of a huge universe. The Stoic philosophy, which frequently emphasizes the importance of nature for human beings, argues that people who live in harmony with nature will attain peace.
The virtues that should be found in a stoic are: wisdom, justice, valor, temperance, and honesty.
Stoic Periods
After finding the answer to the question of what is stoicism, let’s take a look at the stoic periods if you want. The foundation of Stoicism was laid by Zeno of Cyprus and it is studied in three main periods since its foundation. These periods are:
- Foundation Period (Early Period)
- Intermediate Term (Mid Term)
- Imperial Period (Late Period)
The Foundation Period (Early Period) is the period in which the principles of Stoicism were determined by the Cypriot Zeno, Kleanthes and Chryisipos.
Intermediate Period (Middle Period), Foundation period is a period that softens stoicism a bit. Panaitios of Rhodes and his student Posidonios of Apameia synthesized Stoicism with Aristotle-Plato philosophies in this period.
The Imperial Period (Late Period) is the currently accepted stoic period. Another name is the Roman Stoa. This period has also been identified with the Stoic philosophers of the period and has survived to the present day. The three important philosophers of this period are Seneca, Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius.
Happiness is in Our Hands
Stoics argue that happiness is in the hands of man. This concept is a deeply rooted philosophy that comes from a very ancient wisdom, beyond the popular culture concept of happiness in our hands or mutual jokes. When a person really realizes this and adapts this philosophy to his life, the doors of real happiness are opened to the person. Stoicism is a very important philosophy, psychology and serenity movement that has many followers not only in the past but also today.
