Does the cosmos have a purpose that gives human life inherent meaning? Or do we live in an accidental universe that lacks any inherent purpose and thereby makes our lives as potentially futile as that of the mythological Sisyphus, who is compelled for eternity to roll a boulder to the top of a hill only to have it roll down again? This question has puzzled and haunted the minds of numerous thinkers for many millennia; however, to seriously entertain the possibility that the cosmos has an inherent purpose today one must step outside the spirit of our time, which operates on the mostly unspoken and unprovable assumption that the universe is accidental and purposeless and the only meaning in human life is that which we create for ourselves. Stoicism stands staunchly opposed to that assumption. The Stoic worldview is so different from that of our secular age that most people who are interested in Stoicism today ignore the concept of a providential cosmos, and question or deny any difference it can make in the life of a practitioner. That is unfortunate.
Originally, I intended this episode of Stoicism On Fire to move on to the spiritual exercise known as the discipline of action, which falls within the field of ethics. However, I think more attention needs to be focused on a distinction covered in the last episode before we move on. In episode eleven, I offered the following meme:
Bear and forbear only gets us half the way there
My goal in offering that meme was to highlight the vast gulf between the common caricature of a stoic as one who bears and forbears all the events in life with equanimity, and what we see in the Stoic texts. The accurate portrait of a Stoic presents a person who loves the events of nature and expresses gratitude for them—all of them. The Stoics were renounced for their resilience to the events of life. They considered it irrational to want things to happen differently than they do. However, Stoic practice did not stop there. If it did, the caricature of the Stoic as emotionless and detached would be justified. Yet, Epictetus said:
I shouldn’t be unfeeling like a statue, but should preserve my natural and acquired relationships, as one who honours the gods, as a son, as a brother, as a father, as a citizen. (Discourses 3.2.6)
Throughout the writings of Seneca, the Discourses of Epictetus, and the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, we see more than a grin and bear it acceptance of events. The point of Stoicism is not to tolerate events that occur; although, that is a significant step in the right direction. The ultimate goal of Stoic practice is more than bear and forbear. Again, as I said in the last episode:
Bear and forbear only gets us half the way there
The proper Stoic attitude is to love all events that occur as if we wished for them. In his lecture “On Contentment” (Discourses 1.12), Epictetus opens
One who is still being educated should approach his education with this aim in view: ‘How may I follow the gods in everything, and how can I act in a way that is acceptable to the divine administration, and how may I become free?’ For someone is free if all that happens to him comes about in accordance with his choice and no one else is able to impede him. (Discourses 1.12.8-9)
Here is a key point that is too frequently overlooked in Stoicism. Freedom does come from making ourselves psychologically immune from external things and events. Neither does it come from being the master of our fate and overcoming all of the obstacles placed between us and our goals. True freedom only occurs when everything happens in accordance with our choice. Only then are we unimpeded. That state of freedom only occurs when our choices are in accordance with what actually happens rather than what we wish happened. Epictetus makes it quite clear that our human freedom rests on our understanding of what is and is not “up to us” and our practice of the discipline of desire. If we desire and fear those things and events in life beyond our complete control, we will end up just where Epictetus warns: We will have a reason to lament, we will have a troubled mind, and we will find fault with both gods and human beings.[1] Epictetus opens this passage with a question. He asks,
Is it, then, only in this most grave and important matter, that of freedom, that it is possible for me to desire according to my whim? (Discourses 1.12.15)
Epictetus’ Response to the question:
In no way, but rather true education consists precisely in this, in learning to wish that everything should come about just as it does. And how do things come about? As the one who ordains them has ordained. (Ibid)
In other words, Stoic education and training, which leads to true freedom, teaches us to accept all things and events as if they come from a providentially ordered cosmos. But how? How can a person go beyond “bear and forbear” for seemingly tragic events like the death of a loved one or a stage four cancer diagnosis? In truth, “bear and forbear” may be the best we can do with some life events—we are not sages. Nevertheless, it is important to understand that Stoicism does provide a path beyond “bear and forbear” that can teach us to praise providence for everything that happens in life. Yes, I said everything. Here is what Epictetus has to say about it:
From everything that happens in the universe it is easy to praise providence, if one has within him two things: the faculty of taking a comprehensive view of the things that happen to each person and a sense of gratitude. For, otherwise, one will either fail to recognize the usefulness of what has come about,or else fail to be truly grateful if onedoes in factrecognize it. (Discourses 1.6.1-2)
Consider what Epictetus did not say. He did not say, “From everything that happens in the universe it is easy to tolerate misfortune if one has within him two things. Likewise, he did not say: “From everything that happens in the universe it is easy to bear and forbear, if one has within him two things. He said:
From everything that happens in the universeit is easy to praise providence,if one has within him two things: the faculty of taking a comprehensive view of the things that happen to each person and a sense of gratitude. (Discourses 1.6.1)
That is the whole point of this episode: To make certain our sights on the correct target of Stoic practice. Our goal is not a grim acceptance of events; our goal is much greater than bear and forbear, even if that is all we can achieve on occasion. Our ultimate goal is a loving agreement with the events in nature. Our goal is to learn to love them and agree with them, even while those around us are distraught, anguished, angered, and destroyed by those same events because they view them as something “bad.”.
As A.A. Long, a respected scholar of Stoicism points out, resignation to the deterministic events of a mechanical universe does not get us to the “rationality and dignity” the Stoics claimed were part of human potential. He writes,
The deterministic thesis explains why Stoics find it irrational and pointless to wish that things might be otherwise than what they actually experience. But if that were all, Stoicism would be largely an attitude of mere realism, fatalism, or resignation. The crucial step is the combination of determinism with providence. If the situations in which we find ourselves are providentially determined, and if, further, we are equipped with minds that can understand this dual aspect of things, then we have reason not only to accept everything that happens as inevitable but also to regard whatever impinges on our individual selves as the allotment that is right for us and as the requisite opportunity for us to discover and play our human part in the cosmic plan. Hence committed Stoics will interpret circumstances that are conventionally regarded as misfortunes as challenges to be accepted and even welcomed because they give them the means of proving and showing their rationality and dignity as fully-fledged human beings.[2]
In this quote, A.A. Long is emphasizing a point he repeatedly makes in his scholarship. Providence is an essential part of Stoic theory and practice. In fact, he argues it is acceptance of providence that allows us the means of “proving and showing” our “rationality and dignity as fully-fledged human beings.” That’s a pretty powerful assertion coming from one of the most prominent, if not the most prominent scholar of Stoicism in the last century.
The goal of Stoic practice is not to train us to “grin and bear” or “bear and forbear” the events of life. Instead, the goal is to love them. Ok, you ask, but how do we get there? Fortunately, Epictetus provides the answer. He tells us we must have two things within ourselves to arrive at that place of loving acceptance of all things and events. First, we must develop the ability to taking a comprehensive view of events that happen. Second, we must possess an attitude of gratitude.
A Comprehensive View of Events
The cosmic viewpoint allows us to escape our human-centered view of events and the judgments associated with that limited view. Once we understand the nature of the cosmos and our place in it, we can begin to see that external events cannot affect our moral character in either a “good” or “bad” way because they are beyond our control. The only things that affect our character and well-being are those we can control—our judgments. Epictetus makes this point succinctly:
It isn’t the things themselves that disturb people, but the judgements that they form about them. (Enchiridion 4)
Pierre Hadot considers the cosmic viewpoint the beginning of Stoic practice. He writes,
Putting theory into practice begins with an exercise that consists in recognizing oneself as a part of the Whole, elevating oneself to cosmic consciousness, or immersing oneself within the totality of the cosmos. While meditating on Stoic physics, we are able tosee all things withinthe perspective of universal Reason. To achieve this, we must practice imaginative exercise which consists in seeing all human things from above.[3]
As practicing Stoics, we can use the cosmic viewpoint to transcend the false expectations which cause a troubled mind. Have you judged an event or a person as “good” or “bad” only to change your mind later when you had a more comprehensive view of things? Of course, you have; we all have. Almost all of our judgments are based on limited knowledge. We must make those judgments about externals. Our human survival instinct directs us away from perceived dangers and toward things that promote our survival. That is natural, and Stoicism does not teach us to do otherwise. Instead, Stoic practice teaches us to value things appropriately. Virtue is the only good; everything else, including our human survival, belongs in a different category which cannot be considered equivalent to virtue. To take a comprehensive view of things, we must trust that the cosmos is providentially ordered and has a purpose of its own, to which we are wise to align our own will. Some will object. Those are just assumptions, speculations, there is no proof the cosmos has a purpose. They are correct. However, what is frequently overlooked with such objections is that the alternative viewpoint is also based on assumptions and speculation. There is no proof the cosmos is purposeless and meaningless. That’s the power of human rationality, we get to look at the evidence and decide which of these assumptions actually promotes human excellence and well-being. Are we better off living as if the cosmos has a purpose that provides our lives with inherent meaning? Or does a purposeless universe and human life that lacks any inherent meaning offer a better alternative? The choice is ours:
Either providence or atoms
After we attain a new perspective from the cosmic viewpoint and thereby relinquish our anthropocentric judgments of events, we can begin to practice an attitude of gratitude for all that happens in our lives.
An Attitude of Gratitude
In Discourses 1.6, Epictetus teaches us that we have to develop a “sense of gratitude” for everything that happens. Stoics do not attempt to put a positive spin on events. Instead, Stoics seek to understand the nature of reality and human existence. The cosmic perspective helps us deal with life’s vicissitudes. How? By teaching us to limit our concerns to what is ‘up to us’—our judgments of events—and to love what we cannot control.
An attitude of gratitude distinguishes a love of fate (amor fati) from mere resignation and fatalism. How does a Stoic avoid resignation and learn to love fate? By choosing to see challenging events as opportunities for growth in virtue (excellence of character). Trials either make us bitter, or they can make us better. The choice between those alternatives is ours. Consider this: what would Stoics do without the people on Facebook who annoy us, the inconsiderate drivers who cut us off in traffic, the thoughtless actions of our loved ones, the unreasonable demands of a boss or customer who does not appreciate us, the pains in our bodies, or the occasional tragedies visited upon us? How would we grow in virtue without these ‘indifferents’ to shape us? How would we test or measure our growth without them? Finally, how much would we value virtue (arête) and well-being (eudaimonia) if it came easy, without much effort?
If, as Stoics, we accept that seemingly unpleasant events are going to happen, and they are beyond our control, then what would it look like to take our practice to the next level? What if we adopt an attitude of gratitude toward all those ‘indifferents’ outside of our control? Imagine the psychological equanimity that would spring from such an attitude. Marcus provides us with a wonderful example of an attitude of gratitude in a passage I quote often:
Everything suits me that suits your designs, O my universe. Nothing is too early or too late for me that is in your own good time. All is fruit for me that your seasons bring, O nature. All proceeds from you, all subsists in you, and to youall things return.” (Meditations 4.23)
Marcus had that attitude because he trusted that, “Nothing happens to anyone that he is not fitted by nature to bear” (Meditations 5.18.1). Epictetus also highlights that same attitude of gratitude toward what happens when he instructs us:
Don’t seek that all that comes about should come about as you wish, but wish that everything that comes about should come about just as it does, and then you’ll have a calm and happy life. (Enchiridion 8)
I will address the concepts of a cosmic viewpoint and an attitude of gratitude frequently in future episodes; they are an integral part of Stoic practice. In the meantime, I leave you with the powerful passage from Discourses 1.1.17 that I recommend you keep close at hand:
What are we to do, then? To make the best of what lies within our power, and deal with everything else as it comes. ‘How does it come, then?’ As God wills. (Discourses 1.1.17)
Don’t settle for “bear and forbear.” Stoicism promises so much more. Set your sights on the proper Stoic attitude that finds reasons to praise providence for everything that happens. By doing so, you will set your Stoic practice On Fire.
ENDNOTES:
[1] Enchiridion 1
[2] A.A. Long, Epictetus: A Stoic and Socratic Guide to Life (New York: Oxford University Press, 2002), p. 22
[3] Pierre Hadot, What Is Ancient Philosophy? (Cambridge, Mass.: Belknap Press, 2002), p. 136
