The theme of suffering in the Roman philosophy of Stoicism

Philosophy

Abstract

The article aims to study the Roman philosophy of Stoicism in terms of the Stoics’ analysis of the phenomenon of suffering. The main thesis is the following: Stoic philosophy is able to liberate a modern man, enslaved by the idea of pleasure, from the fear of pain and suffering. The author’s approach to the writings by Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius through the prism of suffering can be considered innovative since the existing critical literature on the Roman Stoics has paid much more attention to the problem of pleasure than to the problem of suffering. Analyzing the Roman philosophy of Stoicism, the author discusses the following questions: Are happiness and suffering mutually excluding states? What are the reasons for suffering? What are the criteria of a happy life? Elaborating on these questions, the author uses the historical-philosophical, logical, and hermeneutical methods. The distinguishing characteristic of the Stoic school lies in the affirmation of the creative role of pain on the way toward becoming oneself. The Stoics’ idea that suffering is able to highlight a person’s spiritual power gives Stoic philosophy a therapeutic power. The existential significance of the Stoic approach to suffering is confirmed by the scientific and practical work of the Austrian scientist Viktor Frankl. Frankl’s logotherapy, based on overcoming the «existential vacuum» through the search for meaning, revives the fundamental position of Stoic ethics: no human being is free from suffering; however, everyone is free to choose his attitude to suffering. The article substantiates a principle, common to all of the Roman Stoics, asserting the inextricable link between our beliefs and our ability to withstand the blows of fate. The author analyzes in detail what ideas have a healing power and form the basis of the Stoics’ «therapeutic program». Stoic ethics is presented not in isolation but in the context of the whole philosophical doctrine, with taking into consideration the internal interrelations of logic, physics, and ethics. Particularly worthwhile in the article is the author’s analysis of Zeno’s and Seneca’s logical argumentation on the problem of suffering. The today’s vital importance of Stoicism is discussed using both ancient and modern texts. In particular, «pop Stoicism» is criticized as bringing the holistic teaching of the Stoics to a form of psychotherapy. In the context of modern Stoicism becoming a real mega-industry in the West, the author is strongly convinced that it is close acquaintance with primary philosophical sources that can counter the reduction of Stoic ideas to a set of lifehacks on how to become more successful.