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CATHOLICENCYCLOPEDIA:StoicsandStoicPhilosophy

StoicsandStoicPhilosophy
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TheStoicSchoolwasfoundedin322B.C.byZenoofCittiumandexisteduntilthe
closingoftheAthenianschools(A.D.429),(ittookthenamefromtheStoapoikile,the
paintedhallorcolonnadeinwhichthelectureswereheld.)Itshistorymaybedividedinto
threeparts:(1)AncientStoicism(2)MiddleStoicism(3)NewStoicism.
ZenoofCittium(b.366d.in280)wasthediscipleofCratestheCynicandthe
academiciansStilpo,Xenocrates,andPolemon.Afterhisdeath(264),Cleanthesof
Assium(b.331d.232)becameheadoftheschoolChrysippusofSoli(b.280),
succeededandwasscholarchuntil204.Thesephilosophers,allofOrientalorigin,livedin
AthenswhereZenoplayedapartinpoliticsandwereincommunicationwiththeprincipal
menoftheirday.TheStoicdoctrine,ofwhichZenolaidthefoundations,wasdeveloped
byChrysippusin705treatises,ofwhichonlysomefragmentshavebeenpreserved.In
additiontotheprinciplesacceptedbyallthinkersoftheirage(theperceptionofthetrue,if
itexists,canonlybeimmediatethewisemanisselfsufficientthepoliticalconstitution
isindifferent),derivedfromtheSophistsandtheCynics,theybasetheentiremoral
attitudeofthewisemanconformitytooneselfandnature,indifferencetoexternalthings
onacomprehensiveconceptofnature,inpartderivedfromHeraclitus,butinspiredbyan
entirelynewspirit.ItisabeliefinauniversalnaturethatisatoneandthesametimeFate
infalliblyregulatingthecourseofevents(eimarmene,logos)Zeus,orprovidence,the
eternalprincipleoffinalityadaptingallotherthingstotheneedsofrationalbeingsthe
lawdeterminingthenaturalrulesthatgovernthesocietyofmenandofthegodsthe
artisticfire,theexpressionoftheactiveforcewhichproducedtheworldone,perfect,and
completefromthebeginning,withwhichitwillbereunitedthroughtheuniversal
conflagration,followingaregularandeverrecurringcycle.Thepopulargodsaredifferent
formsofthisforce,describedallegoricallyinmyths.Thisviewofnatureisthebasisfor
theoptimismoftheStoicmoralsystemconfidenceintheinstinctivefaculties,which,in
theabsenceofaperfectknowledgeoftheworld,oughttoguideman'sactionsandagain,
theinfalliblewisdomofthesage,whichChrysippustriestoestablishbyadialectic
derivedfromAristotleandtheCynics.Butthisoptimismrequiresthemtosolvethe
followingproblems:theoriginofthepassionsandthevicestheconciliationoffateand
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libertytheoriginofevilintheworld.Onthelasttwosubjectstheypropounded,allthe
argumentsthatwereadvancedlateruptothetimeofLeibniz.

MiddleStoicism(secondandfirstcenturiesB.C.)
StoicismduringthisperiodwasnolongeraGreekschoolithadpenetratedintothe
Romanworldandhadbecome,undertheinfluenceofScipio'sfriend,Pantius(185112),
wholivedinRome,andofPosidonius,(13540)whotransferredtheschooltoRhodes,the
quasiofficialphilosophyofRomanimperialism.Itsdoctrineswereconsiderably
modified,becominglessdogmaticinconsequenceofthecriticismofthenew
Academician,Carneades(215129).InStoicmorality,Pantiusdevelopstheideaof
humanity.Posidoniusatonceasavant,historian,geographer,mathematician,astronomer
andamysticwhocommentingonPlato'sworks,reviveshistheoriesonthenatureand
destinyofthesoul.

NewStoicism(toA.D.429)
ThenewStoicismismoreethicalanddidactic.Scienceisnolongertheknowledgeof
nature,butakindoftheologicalsummaofmoralandreligioussentiments.Verylittlehas
beenpreservedoftheshortpopulartreatisesanddiscourses,whereinavividstyle
introducedundertheinfluenceoftheCynicdiatribe,thephilosopherendeavoredtorender
hisethicalprinciplespractical.ThelettersofSeneca(268)toLucilius,theconversations
ofMusonius(timeofNero),andofEpictetus(ageofDomitian),thefragmentsof
Hierocles(timeofHadrian),themembersofMarcusAurelius(d.180),givebutan
incompleteidea.Stoicism,whichgenerallydisappearedastheofficialSchool,wasthe
mostimportantoftheHellenisticelementsinthesemiorientalreligionsofvanishing
paganism.

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Sources
ZELLER,Phil.D.Griechen,IIIpt.i,tr.StoicsbyRiechel(London,1892)DYROFT,Die
EthikderStoa(Berlin,1897)BROWN,StoicsandSaints(NewYork1893)LEONARD
ALSTON,StoicandChristian(London,1906)ARNIM,Stoicorumveterumfragmenta
(Leipzig,1903,1905)BAKE,Posidoniireliqu(Leyden,1810)BONHOFFER,Epiktet
u.dieStoa(Stuttgart,1890)STEIN,PsychologiederStoa(Berlin,1886)IDEM,Die
ErkenntnisselehrederStoa(Berlin,1888)BART,DieStoa(Liepzig,1908)BRHIER,
Chrysippe(Paris,1910).
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Aboutthispage
APAcitation.Brhier,E.(1912).StoicsandStoicPhilosophy.InTheCatholic
Encyclopedia.NewYork:RobertAppletonCompany.RetrievedJune6,2015fromNew
Advent:http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14299a.htm
MLAcitation.Brhier,Emile."StoicsandStoicPhilosophy."TheCatholic
Encyclopedia.Vol.14.NewYork:RobertAppletonCompany,1912.6Jun.2015
<http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14299a.htm>.
Transcription.ThisarticlewastranscribedforNewAdventbyC.A.Montgomery.
Ecclesiasticalapprobation.NihilObstat.July1,1912.RemyLafort,S.T.D.,Censor.
Imprimatur.+JohnCardinalFarley,ArchbishopofNewYork.
Contactinformation.TheeditorofNewAdventisKevinKnight.Myemailaddressis
webmasteratnewadvent.org.Regrettably,Ican'treplytoeveryletter,butIgreatly
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