The Stoic Conception of Philosophy as an Art of Living and the Pursuit of Moral Beauty
The Stoic Conception of Philosophy as an Art of Living and the Pursuit of Moral Beauty

Summary/Abstract: The Stoics argue that philosophy as an art of living (techne) is not only a theoretical and intellectual pursuit of knowing the rational order and harmony (or logos) of nature/physics/God but it is also a practical activity that aims to transform and shape our lives in accordance with this knowledge. In this sense, the Stoics argue that philosophy is not an abstract subject to be considered but rather a practical matter that has a direct influence on our way of living. Based on this main Stoic conception of philosophy, in this paper, I fundamentally take issue with the general claim about the the Stoic moralism entails that philosophy is solely grounded on the purpose of achieving moral virtue, suggesting that all other elements are excluded from its purview. By arguing that Stoic moralism is not contrasted with the conception of moral beauty, I adopt the view that Stoic moralism is not free from the conception of beauty, such that it encapsulates the idea that beauty is within the virtuous. In light of this, I focus on the conception of philosophy and suggest that, for the Stoics, although the ultimate goal of philosophy is to lead a virtuous life that is grounded on our understanding of the rational order and harmony (or logos) of nature, the philosophical life does also correspond to a moral life, which has the aesthetic aspect of embellishing our lives with beauty, harmony, and order.

• Details
• Contents