In this article we will explore the foundations of virtue and values in Stoic philosophy. By looking at this, we will learn the true nature of virtue and values in Stoic philosophy and how these can help us.
Virtue and values are determined by many things, including one’s worldview, cultural background, education, psychological state, etc. There are many circumstances that can affect our condition in selecting one set of rules or another. As a result, we are easily shaped by our social surroundings.
Those are all external circumstances that you can’t control, especially when you are very young. However, there is one factor that is very important in determining your values and virtues., and that element is the fact that those virtues and values are yours. In other words, you can choose to follow certain values or to abandon them, that is, if your mind is self-critical and capable of reason.
To better understand how to control our mind and actions, we must consider the Stoic virtues and values that guided them through life. Those values may not be as out-dated as one might think, as they are general human values. However, the most important value is a specific philosophical insight that we will cover shortly.
The Importance of the Mind and Will
In stoic philosophy, the mind represents the core of all values, virtues and wellbeing. Without the mind, Stoic philosophy would not exist, because it is the main principle of all things. The mind helps us navigate in our everyday lives, and if our mental compass malfunctions then we become lost. This is why we should pay closer attention to our minds. According to Stoic philosophers, it is in our power to practice self-reflection and understand what the mind really is, how it works, and what its functions are.
First of all, reflection is the starting point of examination for every choice and action. Our ability for reflection tells us that we are capable of reasonable thinking. Reasonable thinking and acting is what Stoics call life in accordance with nature, which is the most important principle for a happy life.
Life in accordance with (our own) nature simply means a life in accordance to virtue. When we are led by this principle, we are led by the mind itself. This is the home of all values and virtues including, wisdom, temperance, fortitude and justice. These four cardinal virtues enable our values and form our true character.
The examination of what a good life consists of leads us to the insight that our minds and will are the only things we can control in this world. However, our mind and will are not equals, because the will would run rampant and lose focus without the guidance of our mind.
This first insight also leads us to divide things into what we control and what we can’t control. Our inner being is controllable because it consists of reason, whereas things such as other peoples’ thoughts and actions, status, fortune, natural phenomena and death, are not within our control.
Stoics noticed that external things can cause affects (strong, negative emotions) that prevent us from focusing on ourselves. Such affects can include grief, suffering, jealousy, lust, greed, etc. If we indulge in these affects, one is destined to suffer.
Many mistakenly think that a good and happy life lies in the fulfillment of our wishes, but our wishes are endless; whenever we achieve one goal or obtain one item, we instantly yearn for another. Therefore, fulfillment is illusionary. Instead, Stoic virtues and values are the basis of a happy and good life, because they focus on our gift of reason, which is the only thing we have control over.
