About us
Founded in 2018, Philadelphia Stoa is a philosophical community focused on applying Stoic philosophy to modern challenges. As a registered non-profit organization, our vision centers on inspiring individuals to apply virtue in their daily lives as a path to personal flourishing.
The purpose of our Meetup group is to introduce Stoic philosophy to anyone interested in living a happier and more fulfilling life and to help students of Stoicism practice the philosophy in their daily lives.
Stoicism is a practical philosophy for guiding people in living a good life through cultivating personal excellence, or virtue. Having flourished in ancient Greece and Rome, Stoicism is experiencing a resurgence of popularity today as a result of its value in helping people realize more tranquility and joy amid the complexity of the modern world. Stoicism involves focusing on what we can control in life and not worrying about things we cannot control, enhancing healthy emotions through reasoned judgement, and treating all of humanity with compassion and respect.
Our meetings support people in increasing their knowledge of Stoicism and applying it in their daily lives. Meetings include discussions of Stoic writings, modern interpretations of Stoic concepts, and the Stoic perspectives on problems people may have. We hold meetings three times a month, usually on the second and fourth Sunday and the third Monday of each month. The topic agenda is different for each monthly meeting.
For more information, please visit www.philadelphiastoa.org.
Upcoming events
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Cicero On Duties (De Officiis)
Philadelphia Ethical Society, 1906 Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA, USIn the following months, Philadelphia Stoa will read Marcus Tullius Cicero ‘On Duties’ (De Officiis).
Writing at the time of political crisis after the assignation of Julias Caesar in 44 BC, Cicero’s last philosophical work ‘On Duties’, makes use of Greek philosophy to formulate the political and ethical values of Roman Republican not only to his 21 year old son Marcus Cicero Jr, but to all young Romans of the governing class.
Our text is divided into Three Books: Book 1 cover what is honorable I.e., the virtues of human life—wisdom, justice (social cohesion), greatness of spirit (courage), and moderation (temperance)—and details how they apply to daily behavior, arguing that duty exists in every aspect of life. Book 2 focuses on the practicality or utility of how to acquire what is advantageous with respect to one’s resources and reputation. Book 3 examines cases where one’s moral duty conflicts with one’s personal advantage. Cicero concludes that the conflict is just apparent because if one acts viciously for personal gain, then he is not really being beneficial to himself since such actions destroy character and social trust.
The copy I am using is The Cambridge Texts In The History of Political Thought (1991) Edited by M.T. Griffin and E.M. Atkins
Our first meeting will cover a general biography of Cicero’s life and his political background. You should read half of Book 1 approximate pages 1-25 Section 1-60.
I also have a digital copy of the book. If you want a digital copy…just e-mail me at amjol.shrestha@philadelphiastoa.org
Furthermore, there is a free digital version from the Perseus Digital Library
https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2007.01.0048%3Abook%3D1%3Asection%3D1You can purchase a physical copy from Abebooks or Amazon
https://www.abebooks.com
https://www.amazon.com
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Lastly, here are some videos that I thought were helpful.Background of Cicero
Cicero's Finest Hour (44 to 43 B.C.E.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8DBd3SkuS8Series on Cicero's On Duties
Professor Gregory Sadler, Cicero, On Duties, book 1| Wisdom as the First Source of Duty
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyLv0WOcJv0&t=128sProfessor Gregory Sadler, Cicero, On Duties, book 1| The Four Characters | Philosophy Core Concepts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkZfoZfjXoA7 attendees
Past events
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