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
3
Cicero On Duties (De Officiis)
Philadelphia Ethical Society, 1906 Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA, USSince we did not have a meeting in July, I decided to have two meeting in August.
We will continue where we left off On August 16th. I hope we can finish up the virtue of 'Courage/Magnanimity' Section 61-92 Book 1 and discuss the virtue of what is 'Seemly/Decorum/(Temperance)' Section 92 of Book 1.
Please attempt to read all of Book 1 just in case we gain ground on our discussion. I will post questions on Meetup... 2 to 3 days before our meeting to help us focus on the text.
If you have a particular quote or section of the text you want us to discuss, then please post your inquiry in Meetup. I will do my level best to examine your inquiry.
Basic Background:
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.
I have a digital copy of the book. If you want a digital copy…just e-mail me at amjol.shrestha@philadelphiastoa.org
Also, I have a digital copy of the Loeb Classic (Latin with Miller's translation).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 by the Cieronian Society
https://www.youtube.com/@CiceronianSociety6 attendees
America at 250: Stoic Virtue and the Future of the American Experiment
Historical Society of Pennsylvania, 1300 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA, USOn October 24, 2026 at the Historical Society of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Stoa will host a free public conference bringing together leading historians, philosophers, legal scholars, and civic leaders. Each speaker will investigate: How our US Constitution along with Stoic Philosophy can uphold our democracy in light of technological disruption, institutional distrust, and civic fragmentation.
Dr. Sophia Rosenfeld: Walter H. Annenberg Professor of History, University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Gregory Sadler: President of ReasonIO; Philosophy Faculty, Marquette University.
Kermit Roosevelt III. J.D.: David Berger Professor for the Administration of Justice, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School.
Ward Farnsworth. J.D. : W. Page Keeton Chair in Law, Former Dean of University of Texas School of Law
Delegate Cliff Hayes: Virginia General Assembly, Chair of key committees on technology policy and government operations
Dr. Massimo Pigliucci: K.D. Irani Professor of Philosophy, The City College of New York.Advance registration is required. Please click the following link for more detail and to register for this Conference.
https://luma.com/9ghyl138Event Details
- Date: Saturday, October 24, 2026
- Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM EDT
- Location: Historical Society of Pennsylvania, 1300 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
6 attendees
Past events
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