Philosophy is either perennial or false because it is based on the principles underlying the universe and human nature. Great thinkers such as Aristotle (384-322 BC) identified and codified those principles.
When we affirm that Aristotle’s philosophy is true, we mean that Aristotle has correctly identified those principles and then codified them in an intelligible manner.
Generation after generation, people have been relying on a handful of philosophers to figure out the world. True answers help us understand the principles of identity and causality, how emotions are generated, and distinguishing good from evil.
Seneca made important contributions to Stoicism, the set of philosophical ideas that prevailed in Europe for six hundred years: roughly since Alexander the Great (356-323 BC) until Augustine (354-430 AD).
Stoicism is an ethical system, not a complete philosophical system. It provides guidance about how to pursue happiness, avoid pain and live effectively, but does not say much about metaphysics, epistemology, politics and aesthetics.
Other than assuming that the universe is driven by reason, Stoic philosophers did not venture beyond the obvious. Their view of “reason” as the driving force of the universe is rather mystical and does not correspond to the Aristotelian definitions of rationality and logic.
Nonetheless, despite being limited to ethics, Stoicism gives us important insights into human behaviour. Seneca compiled those insights and put them in writing, using examples from his personal life and from history.
Seneca’s insights are worth studying because they constitute a corpus of proven practical advice. Thousands of people have applied Seneca’s recommendations successfully and improved their lives. We can do the same in our century, especially with the following key ideas from Seneca.
I have learned from Seneca that we should make the best of each day in good and bad times. He devoted his essay “On the Shortness of Life” to this principle. The recommendation is one hundred per cent correct, but Seneca failed to explain why it works.
The reason for its validity is that success depends, to a large extent, on efforts deployed at the margin. Most people are able to book progress when they enjoy tailwinds, but few will keep going in the face of opposition, criticism and setbacks.
Seneca never verbalised the idea that efforts deployed at the margin can tilt the odds in our favour, but he had witnessed the benefits of this principle on many occasions. His essay “On the Shortness of Life” emphasises that we can make the best of life by focusing on essential activities and avoiding distractions and waste.
Seneca: Virtue should guide our decisions
Our decisions should be guided by virtue, not by social pressure, prejudice or recklessness. Seneca recommended to align one’s actions with nature and reason, even at the expense of short-term inconvenience.
Seneca’s advice is, once again, one hundred per cent correct, but his argumentation leaves a lot to be desired. In his 2nd Letter to Lucilius, he praised moderation as a crucial virtue, but without explaining in detail the reason for its benefits.
The reason for those weak explanations is that Seneca never really grasped Aristotle’s theory of causality. Virtue, according to Aristotle, will deliver its own rewards down the road.
Aristotle (384-322 BC) had explained in his “Nicomachean Ethics” and “Eudemian Ethics” that it’s in our interest to do the right thing all the time because that’s how we arrive at the best possible outcome.
Seneca endorsed honesty, justice and constancy by pointing to a nebulous “universal reason” that allegedly governs nature. In contrast, Aristotle promoted honesty, justice and constancy by pointing to causality.
Good deeds, Aristotle stated, are bound to lead to beneficial results, although causality can be occasionally derailed by bad luck and natural disasters.
Seneca overemphasised modesty and self-discipline without realising that those virtues play only a secondary role. Modesty works in one’s favour because it’s a co-adjuvant to causality, and the same can be said about self-discipline.
Aristotle recommended us to work hard without bragging, and let our success speak for itself. Seneca also recommended working hard without bragging, but rarely linked the deployed efforts to success.
Thus, Seneca pointed in the right direction, but failed to render virtue enticing. He failed to enumerate its benefits and rewards, as though nothing could be expected from life beyond hard work for the sake of hard work.
Seneca: We tend to exaggerate our problems
Human beings tend to exaggerate problems, threats and risks. Especially when we are subjected to social pressure and harsh criticism, we tend to lose our equanimity and make one mistake after another.
Seneca stated this principle in his 13th Letter to Lucilius. I can summarise this idea by saying that we tend to suffer more due to our fearful thoughts than due to tangible harm.
When Emperor Claudius exiled Seneca to Corsica, terrible thoughts filled Seneca’s mind. He expected to suffer all kinds of deprivations and die within a few months.
However, when Seneca arrived in Corsica, he managed to minimize the inconveniences. Little by little, he found ways to render his lifestyle less rigorous and more enjoyable. His fears of prolonged suffering and early death had proven unfounded.
Seneca called for training one’s mind for serenity, rationality and effectiveness. In his 76th Letter to Lucilius, Seneca advised readers to cultivate a good character, one that cannot be easily swayed by fear and prejudice. If we succeed in doing that, we will have booked serious progress on the path to happiness.
If you are interested in putting rational ideas into practice in all kinds of situations, I recommend my book “On becoming unbreakable.”
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