Stoicism and the Mandalorian. I’ve enjoyed watching The Mandalorian and recently stumbled across discussion of the Mandalorian code of honor. It reminded me in some ways of Stoic philosophy. I previously wrote an article about Stoicism as a Code of Honor so I decided it might be interesting also to look at the similarities and differences between Stoicism and the Mandalorian “Canons of Honor.” I’m no expert on Star Wars lore so I’ll be keeping this comparison fairly simple. Stoicism is an ancient Greek school of philosophy, inspired by the earlier teachings of Socrates, which became popular in the Roman Republic and later in the Empire. Its central doctrine is that virtue or excellence of character (arete, in Greek) is the only true good in life. … (Don Robertson)
Stoicism and Buddhism: Two Sides of the Same Coin? If you’re anything like me, I’m sure you’ll have noticed the bookshelves of your local store positively groaning with all manner of self-help books; stylish tomes offering a route to peacefulness and serenity. It’s no surprise that the pressures of our modern life are driving many to search for techniques and approaches that might offer them some peace in these trying times. What’s particularly interesting is how two different philosophies that have seen a resurgence of interest in the Western world both arrived at such similar conclusions for how to live a happy life, despite being separated by hundreds of years and thousands of miles. I’m speaking of course about Buddhism and Stoicism. The convergent evolution of the two outlooks, despite the vastly different environments in which they developed, has equipped adherents of each with remarkably similar approaches on how to overcome the challenges we all face in our lives. In fact, certain aspects are so similar that some historians have even deigned to theorize that perhaps there was some exchange of ideas between the forefathers of each ideology, although this idea has not been widely accepted. While the similarities may likely be a simple quirk of history, they remain nonetheless fascinating. … (Classical Wisdom)
Efficient Markets and Alienation. In his Comments on James Mill in the 1840s, Karl Marx complained that, “the mediating process between men engaged in exchange is not a social or human process, not human relationship; it is the abstract relationship of private property to private property … men engaged in exchange do not relate to each other as men.” And here’s Friedrich Engels, around the same time: “The relation of the manufacturer to his operatives has nothing human in it; it is purely economic. Sounds plausible enough. But such alienation objections to markets have surprisingly few defenders in moral or political philosophy nowadays – certainly as contrasted with the massive literatures discussing concerns about inequality or exploitation. This is regrettable. For it has been shown (by Joseph Carens and John Roemer, for instance) that such distributive concerns can be met, in principle, without altering the basic infrastructure of market systems. Through taxes and transfers, or perhaps a scheme cooperative ownership, we can correct any deficiencies of distribution while still harnessing the power of markets. This is, at least, the promise of market socialism. But worries about alienation cut deeper. As I argue in a recent paper and will briefly sketch in this post, they inhibit us from recognizably caring about one another in our productive activities. … (New Work in Philosophy)
How To Argue Like A Philosopher. Despite popular opinion, screaming at one another is not arguing. Well, at least it’s not what arguing should be. All of the talking heads and political pundits you see on the television may claim to be “engaging in a civilized discourse,” but they’re not. Arguing is not meant to be a shouting match where the louder the aggressor is, the more likely he or she will achieve victory. You might think that the time you and your roommate started screaming at each other because the dishes had gone unwashed for several weeks was an “argument.” In truth, it was not. That may seem rather strange, but if you ever want clarification on the matter, all you really have to do is talk to a philosopher. Arguing, after all, is what philosophy is all about. … (Classical Wisdom)
Whatever the Problem, It’s Probably Solved by Walking. Walking is the worst-kept secret I know. Its rewards hide under every step. Perhaps because we take walking so much for granted, many of us often ignore its ample gifts. In truth, I doubt I would walk often or very far if its sole benefit was physical, despite the abundant proof of its value in that regard. There’s something else at play in walking that interests me more. And with the arrival of spring, attention must be paid. I discovered the power of ambling more than a quarter century ago when I traipsed 500 miles across Spain on the Camino de Santiago, an ancient pilgrimage route. I stumbled upon the Camino by accident and then trudged across Spain with purpose. I’ve been a walker ever since. And I’m not the only one. … (The New York Times)
Happy Easter, Massimo!🐣😊