Virtue rewards, first and foremost, its practitioner. That was the reason for Aristotle to recommend virtues such as ambition and personal initiative. Seneca (4 BC-65 AD) did not share the views of Aristotle on virtue because, for Seneca, achievement and success represent the exceptions in life, not the rule.
In the 72nd Letter to Lucilius, Seneca explains his concept of human nature and virtue. Life is full of setbacks and failure, he argued, and the purpose of philosophy is to help us cope. Good philosophy increases our resilience and equanimity each day.
Seneca underlined that the daily practice of philosophy is a prerequisite for peace of mind. In order to enjoy the benefits of philosophy, it is necessary to practise it consistently. It is not sufficient to study it.
Lucius Annaeus Gallio (10-54 AD) was a friend of Seneca’s and very familiar with Stoic philosophy. Gallio knew Seneca’s views on human nature and virtue, but seldom practised them. He regarded philosophy as an interesting intellectual game that he enjoyed playing, but he would not apply it in reality.
The 72nd Letter to Lucilius states that, due to his refusal to practise philosophy, Gallius would lead a rather miserable life. Indeed, Gallius endured disorientation and anxiety. If we fail to practise it consistently, even the best philosophy is worthless.
Seneca’s insights on inconstancy
Seneca regarded inconstancy and inconsistency as harmful, but omnipresent. They are part of human nature be default, but we can overcome them by means of steady effort.
Let’s not turn human nature into an excuse for our mistakes, deficiencies and weaknesses, exhorted Seneca. We all have the power to improve ourselves, even if it takes lots of effort.
Instead of employing human nature as an excuse for doing the wrong thing, we should study the lives of great individuals and learn from them.
For example, Seneca held Cato the Younger (95 BC-46 AD) in high regard. Why? Because of Cato’s commitment to lead a modest lifestyle, even if he could have afforded luxuries of all kinds.
Human nature pushes us to look for short-term pleasure and not consider the consequences. The Stoic philosophy, explains Seneca, does the opposite. Stoicism is asking us to think today about the future suffering likely to ensue from wrong choices.
Cato had spent decades preparing his soul to face adversity, setbacks and opposition. He viewed his philosophical practice, day by day, as training for the future. He preferred to possess a strong soul rather than pursue short-term pleasures.
The 72nd Letter to Lucilius underlines this key insight about human nature: If we follow the easy path, our mind will grow weak and easily frightened. It’s far better to follow the difficult path of Stoicism because in renders us strong and resilient.
Seneca’s call for philosophical training
The “Nicomachean Ethics” and “Eudemian Ethics” rely on a heroic view of human nature. Aristotle (384-322 BC) regarded each individual as the master of his fate. He defined courage as the most important virtue for achieving our potential.
Seneca trusted constancy more than he trusted courage. His experience as a statesman is that few individuals can be relied upon when things get tough. Only those few have overcome the inconstancy and inconsistency inherent in human nature.
The crimes committed by Emperor Caligula (12-41 AD) in front of dozens of people and without opposition, had rendered Seneca pessimistic about human nature.
Seneca had asked himself about the most important virtue to acquire. Courage and ambition can let us down when we need them most, he reasoned. That’s why constancy is more reliable.
If we train ourselves to do the right thing automatically in all circumstances, day in and day out, we can be sure that we’ll do the right thing also in times of adversity.
Indeed, Seneca had ample of opportunity to test his insights when he was exiled in Corsica, an island in the Mediterranean. After practising serenity and equanimity for years, life put him in an extreme situation.
Seneca went through his exile period successfully thanks to the training he had done before. His constancy had saved him from despair; despite the adverse circumstances, he maintained his peace of mind from beginning to end.
Seneca’s praise of simplicity
It is part of human nature, Seneca pointed out, to pay far too much attention to superficialities such as wealth. If we give too much emphasis to wealth accumulation, we’ll neglect areas that are crucial for our well-being.
Seneca criticizes Gaius Sulpicius Gallus (30 BC-37 AD) for having devoted his life to wealth accumulation, without giving sufficient attention to philosophical aspects. The latter provide the key to happiness, argued Seneca.
I must disagree with Seneca in this respect because he plays wealth against philosophy as though they were incompatible. I fail to see why an individual couldn’t become at the same time wealthy and philosophically accomplished.
Seneca overlooks that his favourite virtue, constancy, is also needed for wealth accumulation. Human nature is not naturally self-disciplined and determined. Those are virtues that demand steady cultivation. They cannot be acquired overnight.
The same applies to the virtue of simplicity, which Seneca extols in his 95th Letter to Lucilius. Human nature tend to push us towards short-term pleasure, overindulgence and luxury. It’s difficult to resist the many temptations that surround us.
However, Seneca points out, the result of overindulgence is bound to be detrimental; three centuries earlier, Epicurus (341-270 BC) had already arrived at the conclusion that simplicity is a solid protector of serenity.
The more we crave, the higher the risk of anxiety and worry in all areas of life. If we keep pushing our luck, we risk ending up like Pompey the Great (106-48 BC). His oversized ambition rendered him blind to risks, which would cost him his life.
Seneca’s insights on human nature constitute a call for clear, thoughtful priorities. Let’s not chase too many rabbits or shiny objects. Let us practise virtue daily, so that it renders us strong and resilient. There might come a time when those virtues can save our life.
If you are interested in putting rational ideas into practice, I recommend you my books “The philosophy of builders” and “The 10 principles of rational living.”