Orlando Stoics

This week we explore a simple but important question: Is the mind designed to discover truth, or to make sense of the world in ways that help us function and cooperate? This raises a deeper puzzle: do paradoxes reveal errors in our thinking, or do they reveal something about how intelligence actually works?

We begin with Robert Trivers, who studied why deception evolved. Trivers argued that in social life, the ability to mislead others can sometimes provide an advantage. But deception creates a paradox. If we know we are lying, we often reveal it through behavior. One solution is self deception. When people believe their own stories, the deception becomes more convincing. Intelligence can therefore contain mechanisms that both reveal truth and hide it.

Next we turn to Michael Gazzaniga, whose research on the brain helps explain how this might happen. Gazzaniga discovered that one part of the brain acts like an “interpreter.” It constantly builds explanations for our behavior, even when the real causes are outside our awareness. His work partly supports Trivers’ idea, but he is also more cautious. He argues that the brain is not necessarily trying to deceive itself. Instead, different systems in the brain produce actions and explanations separately, and the mind tries to create a coherent story afterward.

Finally we look at Jonathan Haidt, who studies moral judgment. Haidt argues that many of our decisions begin with intuitions or gut reactions. Reasoning often comes later, helping us explain and defend those reactions. In this view, reasoning works less like a judge deciding a case and more like a lawyer defending a position.
Together these thinkers suggest that the human mind is not simply a truth finding machine. It is also a system for story making, interpretation, and social coordination. The paradox is that intelligence helps us understand reality, yet it also builds narratives that make life socially workable. Understanding this tension may be part of understanding the mind itself.

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Empathy is often seen as one of our greatest strengths. But what happens when caring too much starts to drain us?

Many of us have felt it. A friend confides in us. A family member struggles. The news cycle delivers an endless stream of suffering. Before we realize it, we’re carrying emotional weight that isn’t fully ours.

Stoic philosophy offers a different way to approach compassion. Rather than shutting down our emotions, the Stoics taught that reason can help us stay grounded while still caring deeply about others.

But knowing what the Stoics said is one thing.

What does it actually feel like when we try to live this in real life? In our friendships, our families, and the moments when someone else's pain shows up right in front of us?

Areas We'll Explore Together:

• Support vs. Absorption: When someone we love is suffering, what is the boundary between supporting them and simply absorbing their pain?
• The Stoic Pause: How do we find the space between the impression of a crisis and our reaction to it?
• The Strength of Boundaries: Can boundaries actually strengthen empathy rather than weaken it?

Esta reunión es cada miércoles a las 7 p.m. EST
CALENDARIO
EPICTETO DISERTACIONES POR ARRIANO
3/11/2026 X A LOS QUE SE ESFUERZAN POR HACER CARRERA EN ROMA
3/18/2026 XI SOBRE EL CARIÑO FAMILIAR
3/25/2026 XII SOBRE LA SATISFACCIÓN
4/1/2026 XIII CÓMO ES POSIBLE HACERLO TODO DE MODO QUE AGRADE A LOS DIOSES
4/8/2026 XIV QUE LA DIVINIDAD CONTEMPLA A TODOS
4/15/2026 XV QUÉ PROMETE LA FILOSOFÍA
4/22/2026 XVI SOBRE LA PROVIDENCIA
4/29/2026 XVII QUE LA LÓGICA ES NECESARIA
5/6/2026 XVIII QUE NO HAY QUE ENFURECERSE CON QUIENES SE EQUIVOCAN
5/13/2026 XIX QUÉ ACTITUD HAY QUE MANTENER FRENTE A LOS TIRANOS
5/20/2026 XX DE CÓMO LA RAZÓN ES ESPECULATIVA SOBRE SÍ MISMA
5/27/2026 XXI A LOS QUE QUIEREN SER ADMIRADOS
6/3/2026 XXII SOBRE LAS PRESUNCIONES
6/10/2026 XXIII EN RESPUESTA A EPICURO
6/17/2026 XXIV CÓMO HAY QUE LUCHAR CONTRA LAS CIRCUNSTANCIAS DIFÍCILES
6/24/2026 XXV SOBRE LO MISMO
7/1/2026 XXVI CUÁL HA DE SER LA NORMA DE VIDA
7/8/2026 XXVII DE CUÁNTAS MANERAS SE PRESENTAN LAS REPRESENTACIONES Y QUÉ AYUDAS HAY QUE TENER A MANO FRENTE A ELLAS
7/15/2026 XXVIII QUE NO HAY QUE IRRITARSE CON LOS HOMBRES Y QUÉ COSAS SON PEQUEÑAS Y CUÁLES GRANDES ENTRE LOS HOMBRES
7/22/2026 XXIX SOBRE EL APLOMO
7/29/2026 XXX QUÉ HAY QUE TENER A MANO EN LAS DIFICULTADES

ZONAS HORARIAS

Hora de encuentro (EE. UU.):
19:00 h, hora del este
18:00 h, hora central
17:00 h, hora de las montañas
16:00 h, hora del Pacífico

Para nuestros amigos internacionales:
Conviertan la hora con la herramienta gratuita
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ENLACE ZOOM