Confidence and Doubt: What Happens When Stoics Meet Skeptics
Details
In this session we’ll explore two ancient ways of approaching life’s questions that don’t always get discussed together: Stoicism and Skepticism. Stoicism offers tools for how we live and act in the world, focusing on what we can control and how we respond when things don’t go our way. Skepticism, on the other hand, teaches us to question our beliefs, to stay open when we claim to “know” something, and to hold our judgments a little more lightly. When we bring these two traditions into conversation, we get a thought-provoking mix of clarity and humility about how we think and how we act.
We’ll look at where these schools of thought overlap and where they differ. Are Stoic certainties about what’s within our control compatible with a skeptical’s reluctance to claim certainty at all? How might a Stoic handle doubt, and how might a skeptic handle the emotional demands of life? We’ll explore practical situations where both Stoic resilience and skeptical inquiry can help us make better decisions, examine our assumptions, and live with greater awareness.
If you’re curious about this topic before the meeting, here’s a podcast you might like to listen to although there is no ogbligation
This discussion is open to everyone, regardless of your prior experience with Stoicism, Skepticism, philosophy in general, or none of the above. You don’t need any background to take part, just an interest in thinking together about how we make sense of the world and how we choose to act in it.