Stoics and Skeptics

381 Words2 Pages
Stoicism was one of the new philosophical movements of the Hellenistic Stoics believe that nothing passes unexplained. There's a reason for everything in Nature. They believed there is an active "force" which is everywhere coextensive with matter. The Stoics believed that there was something acting within them — as they put it — "a spirit deeply infused, germinating and developing as from a seed in the heart of each separate thing that exists." Ancient skepticism is, for the most part, a phenomenon of Post-Classical, Hellenistic philosophy, the ancient skeptics argue that, if we cannot confidently claim knowledge, we should hold back from any kind of truth-claim. That is, we should hold back from belief, not just from knowledge-claims. As a consequence, the ancient skeptics face puzzles about thought, belief, language, and action. How far can one abstain from belief, and still lead a life that is recognizably the life of a rational anim Stoicism bases reaction to an event on logic and rationale. Skepticism is basing one’s reaction to an event on past experience to make judgment of an occurring event. Stoicism is perceptive, while Skepticism is emotive. Stoicism assumes a common goal. Skepticism takes into account a variety in passions, desires, goals, and motivations. So, which is the more persuasive? Persuasive in what way? Really, the word can appeal to different parts of one’s being. Which is more persuasive to the heart, or to the brain? Ceteris paribus, to each his own; but in my humble, biased opinion (after reading both), I find Stoicism to be far more persuasive, for a am a being of logic. Skepticism, to me, is just an easy way out- it may be more manageable in practice, but Stoicism stands stagnant as more sound in theory. While a Stoic mindset may seem out of reach and nigh unattainable, I believe it is the purest, most righteous path towards enlightenment
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