My engagement with Stoicism began as a personal quest and evolved into a scholarly and public project to recover this ancient philosophy as a viable approach to modern life. Stoicism offers a systematic framework for human flourishing built on the cultivation of virtue, the distinction between what is and isn’t in our control, and the practice of living according to nature understood as reason. What drew me initially was its practicality—Stoicism isn’t just a set of abstract doctrines but a discipline involving daily exercises and a fundamental reorientation of values.
My book How to Be a Stoic introduced a broad audience to Stoic philosophy by combining personal narrative with careful exposition of Stoic principles. I’ve followed this with more specialized works: A Handbook for New Stoics (with Gregory Lopez) provides a 52-week program of Stoic exercises, while my Teaching Company courses on Stoic thought and Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations offer in-depth explorations of key texts and concepts. Beyond Stoicism (with Greg Lopez and Meredith Kunz) places Stoicism in dialogue with other Greco-Roman philosophical schools, recognizing that ancient philosophy offers multiple paths to the good life. I also think that Stoicism can profitably be combined with skepticism of the kind practiced by the ancient Roman philosopher Marcus Tullius Cicero.
In my academic work, I’ve examined specific aspects of Stoic philosophy: the practice of prosoche (attention or mindfulness), Stoic approaches to friendship and grief, the moral psychology of anxiety, and Stoic political philosophy through figures like Cicero. I’ve argued that Stoicism provides resources for contemporary civic engagement rather than retreat from the world—the Forum rather than the Garden, to borrow the ancient metaphor. My research also explores how Stoicism relates to modern philosophical concerns and how it can be distinguished from therapeutic approaches while still offering psychological benefits.
A recurring theme in my writing is the distinction between authentic Stoicism and what I call “bad Stoicism“—superficial appropriations that strip away the philosophy’s ethical core, reducing it to performance optimization or emotional suppression. Real Stoicism is demanding: it requires cultivating the cardinal virtues of wisdom, courage, justice, and temperance, recognizing that virtue is the only true good, and accepting that external circumstances, including wealth, health, and reputation, are merely “preferred indifferents.” This is more radical and challenging than the sanitized versions often found in business books or self-help literature.
Through my Substack newsletter “Figs in Winter,” public talks, and occasional intensive in-person retreats, I continue exploring how Stoic principles apply to contemporary challenges—from political polarization to personal relationships, from professional ethics to confronting mortality. My aim has been to present Stoicism neither as a museum piece nor as a quick fix, but as a living philosophical tradition that rewards serious study and dedicated practice, offering genuine wisdom for those willing to engage with it deeply.
Philosophy, Science, Stoicism 