How to Be a Stoic

Post by FabHK » Sat, Feb 25, 2017, 6:18 PM UTC

jwdunne wrote: post #125

FabHK wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks for the thoughtful and respectful comments, I hope my answer manages to stay in that spirit, too. > I think the same is true for Christianity too Disagree, concerning the Abrahamic religions, as what is good is rarely original, and what is original is rarely good: 1. What is good (golden rule, some of the 10 commandments) is not very original. The golden rule has appeared in ancient Greece (Thales), China (Con…

With regards to one, just because it was not original does not discount its value. That only supports my point that it was an attempt to present a way to live - a failed attempt given hindsight. I never said it was original nor entirely good. That's why we can both recognise the good parts as generally good advice. 2. I'm not preaching. I was brought up Catholic and learned enough to reject it. Catholicism and the ac…

Post by stinkytaco » Sat, Feb 25, 2017, 6:25 PM UTC

jwdunne wrote: post #150

stinkytaco wrote: post #142

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I just want to throw out there that dietary restrictions are ultimately tribal. Kosher and halal laws are full of obscure and pointless restrictions (such as ritual slaughter and prohibition on eating foods prepared under an idol) that have nothing to do with health, but everything to do with establishing who is "us" and who is "them".

Interesting. I didn't know that. I connected trichinosis, where symptoms are flu-like for the first few days before a fortnight to 8 weeks of symptom-free incubation as it works into the muscle stage, with the fact that germ theory wasn't understood back then. The second stage of trichinosis would look quite out of the blue without the foundation of understanding behind it. Almost as if by an act of god, which may ha…

Post by howfun » Sat, Feb 25, 2017, 6:32 PM UTC

Post by golem14 » Sat, Feb 25, 2017, 6:36 PM UTC

vram22 wrote: post #157

I had read a book by Epictetus some years ago. Liked it. Forget the book name now. It was about living simply, not getting overly affected (mentally or emotionally) by circumstances or things that happen to you, and a lot more stuff along those lines, and other things too. Basically Stoicism, I suppose, though I've not looked up the term in detail. I also like this quote by him which I read long ago: "Practice yourse…

Post by coldtea » Sat, Feb 25, 2017, 6:39 PM UTC

Retric wrote: post #176

coldtea wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> While it's viewed positively in some situations no culture views it as a universally good thing. Well, we're talking about the natural way of living -- and death is a corner case, as it's not about living, but about the end to life. Still, even with that, and even with all the grievance about the death of those we know and ourselves, death is seen as an essential part of the cycle of life in almost all cultures (an…

The unborn don't complain about not being concived. However, while you tied yourself in a not trying to justify some death I already said some deaths are viewed as a good thing. But, for death to be good then all death including preteen cancer patients must be good, or your not saying death is good your saying something related to death is good.