Beyond Stoicism: Bringing Ancient Insights to Modern Life

Join Philadelphia Stoa for a session with Dr. Amjol Shrestha of Rowan University as we explore how ancient philosophies can guide us in navigating today’s world. This session continues our study of Beyond Stoicism: A Guide to the Good Life with Stoics, Skeptics, Epicureans, and Other Ancient Philosophers by Massimo Pigliucci, Gregory Lopez, and Meredith Alexander Kunz. The book draws on the wisdom of thirteen philosophers from Ancient Greece and Rome, blending insights from their lives with practical teachings and exercises for creating a more meaningful life.

This month we will continue “The Port of Doubt” with Carneades (214-129 BCE). Carneades was born in 214 BCE in Cyrene, the Greek-speaking city on the Mediterranean coast of North Africa (modern Libya). He was a student at Plato’s Academy and also studied with Diogenes of Babylon, the Stoic scholarch (leader) and a pupil of the influential Stoic logician Chrysippus. Stoicism influenced Carneades to a point that he began to challenge its most basic tenets. While the Stoics thought that absolute, infallible knowledge is possible, the Skeptics argued that both reason and the senses are known to be fallible. They argued that our ability to reason or to sense perceive objects cannot guarantee the truth of our cognition because there is no criterion that distinguishes true from false “impressions”.

One copy of the book will be provided to be purchased. You can also purchase the book via Amazon. Also Please see the video of our Authors discussing their new book with Professor Gregory Sadler.