The value of Stoicism—traditional or Pigliucci’s version—is in the universal ideas it holds about human nature.
An attempt to update the Stoic philosophy as expressed by Roman thinker and former slave Epictetus (50-130 C.E.).
Some things are within our power; most are not. Stoicism offers a path to discerning the difference. Philosophy professor Pigliucci, a staunch proponent of science education, calls his book, based on Epictetus’ Enchiridion, a “field guide” because life is lived in the field, not in theory. The Enchiridion was composed of 53 “units” or principles; Pigliucci modifies half of those to be in harmony with 21st-century realities, knowing that Stoicism, a highly cosmopolitan body of thought, has undergone many alterations through the centuries and will continue to do so. Founded by Zeno (334-262 B.C.E.), Stoicism espouses the idea that a virtuous and happy life requires applying reason to the betterment of self and society. Pigliucci has the same aim, though, like Socrates (and unlike Epictetus), he does not advise total disregard of “externals” (things not under our control), a dominant ethic of original Stoicism. Of course, the word “stoic” did not mean then what it means today. The author’s modernization of Stoicism involves accepting misfortune or adversity with equanimity but also having goals and pursuing them in a manner consistent with one’s integrity and self-respect. However, even some of Pigliucci’s revisions are ideals; there is a difference between moderation and monasticism. What’s missing here is passion. Being virtuous and phlegmatic all the time would make one admirable but rather dull, and other people’s attitudes, opinions, and actions (externals) are of no concern to us only if we live in a vacuum. While Pigliucci agrees that reading philosophy and living a philosophy are two different things, he stresses that the art of living requires discipline.
The value of Stoicism—traditional or Pigliucci’s version—is in the universal ideas it holds about human nature.Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5416-4693-3
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Basic Books
Review Posted Online: June 30, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
An incisive, urgently relevant analysis of—and call to action on—America’s foundational ideal.
An examination of how the U.S. can revitalize its commitment to freedom.
In this ambitious study, Snyder, author of On Tyranny, The Road to Unfreedom, and other books, explores how American freedom might be reconceived not simply in negative terms—as freedom from coercion, especially by the state—but positive ones: the freedom to develop our human potential within sustaining communal structures. The author blends extensive personal reflections on his own evolving understanding of liberty with definitions of the concept by a range of philosophers, historians, politicians, and social activists. Americans, he explains, often wrongly assume that freedom simply means the removal of some barrier: “An individual is free, we think, when the government is out of the way. Negative freedom is our common sense.” In his careful and impassioned description of the profound implications of this conceptual limitation, Snyder provides a compelling account of the circumstances necessary for the realization of positive freedom, along with a set of detailed recommendations for specific sociopolitical reforms and policy initiatives. “We have to see freedom as positive, as beginning from virtues, as shared among people, and as built into institutions,” he writes. The author argues that it’s absurd to think of government as the enemy of freedom; instead, we ought to reimagine how a strong government might focus on creating the appropriate conditions for human flourishing and genuine liberty. Another essential and overlooked element of freedom is the fostering of a culture of solidarity, in which an awareness of and concern for the disadvantaged becomes a guiding virtue. Particularly striking and persuasive are the sections devoted to eviscerating the false promises of libertarianism, exposing the brutal injustices of the nation’s penitentiaries, and documenting the wide-ranging pathologies that flow from a tax system favoring the ultrawealthy.
An incisive, urgently relevant analysis of—and call to action on—America’s foundational ideal.Pub Date: Sept. 17, 2024
ISBN: 9780593728727
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: June 25, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2024
A sweet final word from an actor who leaves a legacy of compassion and kindness.
The late actor offers a gentle guide for living with more purpose, love, and joy.
Mixing poetry, prescriptive challenges, and elements of memoir, Heche (1969-2022) delivers a narrative that is more encouraging workbook than life story. The author wants to share what she has discovered over the course of a life filled with abuse, advocacy, and uncanny turning points. Her greatest discovery? Love. “Open yourself up to love and transform kindness from a feeling you extend to those around you to actions that you perform for them,” she writes. “Only by caring can we open ourselves up to the universe, and only by opening up to the universe can we fully experience all the wonders that it holds, the greatest of which is love.” Throughout the occasionally overwrought text, Heche is heavy on the concept of care. She wants us to experience joy as she does, and she provides a road map for how to get there. Instead of slinking away from Hollywood and the ridicule that she endured there, Heche found the good and hung on, with Alec Baldwin and Harrison Ford starring as particularly shining knights in her story. Some readers may dismiss this material as vapid Hollywood stuff, but Heche’s perspective is an empathetic blend of Buddhism (minimize suffering), dialectical behavioral therapy (tolerating distress), Christianity (do unto others), and pre-Socratic philosophy (sufficient reason). “You’re not out to change the whole world, but to increase the levels of love and kindness in the world, drop by drop,” she writes. “Over time, these actions wear away the coldness, hate, and indifference around us as surely as water slowly wearing away stone.” Readers grieving her loss will take solace knowing that she lived her love-filled life on her own terms. Heche’s business and podcast partner, Heather Duffy, writes the epilogue, closing the book on a life well lived.
A sweet final word from an actor who leaves a legacy of compassion and kindness.Pub Date: Jan. 24, 2023
ISBN: 9781627783316
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Viva Editions
Review Posted Online: Feb. 6, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2023
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