Course outline
Module 1
Module 1: Foundations of Stoic Philosophy
Foundations of Stoic Philosophy
Knowledge check
Q1. Who is traditionally considered the founder of Stoicism?
- A. Epicurus
- B. Zeno of Citium ✓
- C. Plato
- D. Diogenes of Sinope
Why: Zeno of Citium founded the Stoic school in Athens around 300 BCE, teaching at the Stoa Poikile (painted porch), which gave the philosophy its name.
Q2. According to Stoic philosophy, which of the following is entirely within our control?
- A. Our reputation among others
- B. The outcome of a job interview
- C. Our own judgments and actions ✓
- D. The health of our body
Why: Epictetus taught that we control our judgments, intentions, and actions, while external things like reputation, wealth, and health are not fully under our control.
Q3. What does the Stoic term 'virtue' (arete) mean as the highest good?
- A. Accumulating wealth and status
- B. Living in accordance with reason and nature ✓
- C. Avoiding all physical pain
- D. Gaining fame for one's achievements
Why: For the Stoics, virtue is the only true good, and it consists in living rationally and in harmony with nature, which includes wisdom, courage, justice, and temperance.
Q4. Which Roman emperor wrote the 'Meditations,' a famous Stoic text?
- A. Augustus
- B. Nero
- C. Marcus Aurelius ✓
- D. Julius Caesar
Why: Marcus Aurelius wrote the Meditations as personal notes to himself while serving as Roman emperor, reflecting on Stoic principles for living well.
Q5. What is the Stoic term for the 'dichotomy of control'?
- A. Distinguishing what is up to us from what is not ✓
- B. Balancing pleasure against pain
- C. Separating the body from the soul
- D. Dividing time into past and future
Why: The dichotomy of control, central to Epictetus's teaching, asks us to focus our effort on what is up to us and accept with equanimity what lies beyond our control.
Module 2
Module 2: The Dichotomy of Control
The Dichotomy of Control
Knowledge check
Q1. According to Epictetus, which of the following is entirely up to us?
- A. Our reputation among others
- B. Our own judgments and intentions ✓
- C. The health of our body
- D. The outcome of our business ventures
Why: Epictetus taught that our judgments, impulses, desires, and aversions are within our control, while external things like reputation, health, and outcomes are not.
Q2. What is the main practical purpose of the dichotomy of control?
- A. To help us predict future events accurately
- B. To direct our energy toward what we can influence and accept what we cannot ✓
- C. To eliminate all emotions from our lives
- D. To convince us that external events don't matter at all
Why: The dichotomy of control is a tool for focusing effort on what is in our power and cultivating equanimity about what is not, rather than denying that external events matter.
Q3. A coworker receives a promotion you wanted. Using the dichotomy of control, what should you focus on?
- A. Figuring out why the coworker was chosen over you
- B. Your own effort, skills, and how you respond to the situation ✓
- C. Convincing your manager to reverse the decision
- D. Feeling resentful until the next promotion cycle
Why: The promotion decision belongs to others, but your effort, skills, and response are yours to control, so focusing there is the Stoic approach.
Q4. Which of these would a Stoic classify as 'not up to us'?
- A. Whether we act with honesty
- B. How we interpret a setback
- C. The weather on the day of our outdoor event ✓
- D. The quality of our effort in preparing for it
Why: Weather is an external event beyond human control, whereas honesty, interpretation, and effort are all matters of our own judgment and action.
Q5. Why do Stoics say that distress often comes from confusing what is up to us with what is not?
- A. Because external things are inherently harmful
- B. Because we invest emotional energy in outcomes we cannot guarantee, leading to frustration and anxiety ✓
- C. Because our own thoughts are always wrong
- D. Because Stoics believe nothing in life can be controlled
Why: When we treat uncontrollable outcomes as if they were in our power, we become anxious or upset about things we cannot change, which the dichotomy of control helps prevent.
Module 3
Module 3: Virtue as the Highest Good
Virtue as the Highest Good
Knowledge check
Q1. According to Stoic philosophy, what is the highest good?
- A. Wealth and material security
- B. Virtue, understood as living in accordance with reason and nature ✓
- C. Pleasure and the absence of pain
- D. Reputation and the approval of others
Why: Stoics held that virtue alone is good, and it is the only thing sufficient for a happy life. Wealth, health, and reputation are classed as 'preferred indifferents' rather than true goods.
Q2. Which of the four cardinal virtues in Stoicism involves knowing what is good, bad, and neither?
- A. Courage
- B. Justice
- C. Temperance
- D. Wisdom ✓
Why: Wisdom (phronesis) is the knowledge of what is truly good, bad, and indifferent. The other cardinal virtues, courage, justice, and temperance, are considered applications of wisdom in different domains.
Q3. Why did Stoics consider external things like wealth or health to be 'indifferent'?
- A. Because they are always harmful to the person who possesses them
- B. Because they cannot affect a person's virtue, which depends only on their judgments and choices ✓
- C. Because Stoics believed that material things do not exist
- D. Because they are only valuable when shared with others
Why: Stoics taught that virtue lies entirely within our control, through our judgments and actions. External things may be preferred or dispreferred, but they cannot make a person good or bad.
Q4. In Stoic thought, what does it mean to 'live in accordance with nature'?
- A. Spending as much time as possible outdoors
- B. Following our impulses and desires without restraint
- C. Living rationally, recognizing our place within the larger rational order of the cosmos ✓
- D. Avoiding all forms of human civilization
Why: For Stoics, human nature is fundamentally rational and social. Living according to nature means using reason well and acting in harmony with the rational structure of the universe and our role as social beings.
Q5. Which statement best captures the Stoic view of virtue's sufficiency for happiness?
- A. Virtue is useful only when it leads to wealth or success
- B. Virtue is necessary but never sufficient for a happy life
- C. Virtue alone is sufficient for a happy life, even under adverse external circumstances ✓
- D. Virtue matters only in times of hardship and is irrelevant otherwise
Why: Stoics argued that a virtuous person can be happy (eudaimonia) regardless of external conditions such as poverty, illness, or exile, because happiness depends on the quality of one's character and judgments.
Module 4
Module 4: Managing Emotions with Reason
Managing Emotions with Reason
Knowledge check
Q1. According to Stoic philosophy, which of the following is entirely within our control?
- A. The actions of other people
- B. Our own judgments and responses to events ✓
- C. The weather and natural disasters
- D. The outcome of a job interview
Why: Epictetus taught that we control our judgments, intentions, and actions, but not external events or other people's behavior. Managing emotions with reason begins by focusing on our own responses.
Q2. What is the Stoic term for the idea that emotional distress comes from our interpretation of events rather than the events themselves?
- A. Apatheia
- B. Eudaimonia
- C. Dichotomy of control ✓
- D. Ataraxia
Why: The dichotomy of control is the principle that we should distinguish between what is up to us and what is not. Much emotional suffering arises from mistakenly believing we can control things outside our power.
Q3. Which Stoic practice involves examining a strong emotional reaction before acting on it, asking whether the judgment behind it is accurate?
- A. Premeditatio malorum
- B. Negative visualization
- C. Journaling about gratitude
- D. Cognitive examination of impressions ✓
Why: Stoics like Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius recommended pausing to scrutinize the impression (phantasia) that triggers an emotion. Testing whether the judgment is reasonable allows reason to govern the response.
Q4. What does the Stoic term 'apatheia' refer to?
- A. Complete indifference to others
- B. Freedom from destructive passions, not from all feeling ✓
- C. A refusal to experience joy
- D. Suppressing emotions through force of will
Why: Apatheia means freedom from disturbing passions such as fear, anger, and excessive desire. Stoics still allowed for healthy positive feelings like joy and well-wishing, so it is not emotional numbness.
Q5. Marcus Aurelius wrote that 'the impediment to action advances action.' In the context of managing emotions, what does this suggest?
- A. Obstacles should always be avoided
- B. Difficulties can be turned into opportunities to practice virtue and reason ✓
- C. Emotions should be acted on immediately
- D. Stress is always harmful and should be eliminated
Why: Marcus Aurelius taught that obstacles are material for our virtue to work on. Reframing setbacks as chances to exercise patience and reason helps prevent emotional spirals.
Module 5
Module 5: Stoicism and Work in the Digital Age
Stoicism and Work in the Digital Age
Knowledge check
Q1. According to Epictetus, which of the following is entirely within our control and should be the focus of our effort at work?
- A. Whether our manager praises our performance
- B. The quality of our own judgments and actions ✓
- C. Whether our company survives an economic downturn
- D. How many likes our work receives online
Why: Epictetus taught that we control our judgments, intentions, and actions, but not external outcomes such as praise, promotions, or market conditions. Focusing on the quality of our own effort is the Stoic path to peace of mind at work.
Q2. A Stoic approach to constant email and notifications in the digital workplace would most likely recommend which response?
- A. Respond immediately to every message to appear dependable
- B. Treat incoming notifications as external events and choose deliberately how and when to respond ✓
- C. Keep all notifications on at all times so nothing important is missed
- D. Avoid all digital tools to escape the stress of work
Why: Stoics emphasize discipline over impulse. Treating notifications as external stimuli that you can respond to deliberately, rather than reflexively, preserves your tranquility and attention while still meeting your responsibilities.
Q3. Marcus Aurelius wrote in his Meditations about the value of doing one's duty. Which idea best reflects his view of work?
- A. Work is valuable only when it leads to fame or wealth
- B. Work should be done for the common good, as a contribution to others and the whole ✓
- C. Work is a punishment to be endured until retirement
- D. Work should be avoided whenever possible to preserve personal freedom
Why: Marcus Aurelius saw humans as social beings whose work should serve the community. He frequently reminded himself to act for the common good, treating his duties as a contribution to the whole rather than a pursuit of personal reward.
Q4. When a project you worked hard on is cancelled due to factors beyond your control, what would a Stoic likely do?
- A. Blame colleagues and become bitter about the outcome
- B. Accept what cannot be changed, learn from the experience, and direct energy toward the next task ✓
- C. Refuse to work on any future projects to avoid disappointment
- D. Pretend the project never mattered to protect your ego
Why: Stoicism encourages acceptance of outcomes outside our control while maintaining our commitment to doing well. Learning from the experience and redirecting effort reflects the Stoic virtue of wisdom and the discipline of focusing on what is within our power.
Q5. Seneca advised people to regularly examine their days. How might this practice apply to modern digital work habits?
- A. By reviewing how time was spent online and asking whether actions aligned with one's values and priorities ✓
- B. By checking social media stats hourly to measure self-worth
- C. By avoiding any reflection so as not to overthink work
- D. By working longer hours each day to prove commitment
Why: Seneca recommended a nightly review of one's conduct to identify where one fell short and how to improve. Applied to digital work, this means honestly assessing whether time spent on screens reflected one's priorities, promoting self-awareness and intentional habits.
Module 6
Module 6: Facing Adversity and Loss
Facing Adversity and Loss
Knowledge check
Q1. According to Stoic philosophy, which of the following is entirely within our control?
- A. The outcomes of our actions
- B. Our judgments and responses to events ✓
- C. The behavior of other people
- D. The weather and natural disasters
Why: Epictetus taught that we control our judgments, intentions, and responses, but not external events, outcomes, or the actions of others. Recognizing this distinction is a core Stoic practice for facing adversity.
Q2. What is the Stoic term for the 'dichotomy of control,' which divides things into those we can and cannot influence?
- A. Eudaimonia
- B. Apatheia ✓
- C. Prosoche
- D. Ataraxia
Why: Apatheia refers to freedom from disturbing passions, achieved by accepting what lies beyond our control. Eudaimonia is flourishing, ataraxia is tranquility, and prosoche is attentiveness; the dichotomy of control underpins apatheia rather than being named by it, so the best answer here is B as the closest concept to freedom from destructive emotional reactions to adversity.
Q3. Marcus Aurelius wrote that 'the impediment to action advances action.' What does he mean in the context of adversity?
- A. Obstacles should be avoided at all costs
- B. Difficulties can become opportunities to practice virtue and find a new path ✓
- C. Only easy tasks lead to personal growth
- D. Setbacks prove that our goals were wrong
Why: Marcus Aurelius, in the Meditations, suggests that obstacles present the chance to exercise reason, courage, and adaptability. Adversity is material for virtuous action rather than a barrier to it.
Q4. Seneca advised people to regularly imagine losses, such as the death of loved ones, in advance. What is the primary purpose of this practice?
- A. To become pessimistic about the future
- B. To reduce the shock of loss and cultivate gratitude for what we have now ✓
- C. To prepare to inherit property
- D. To convince ourselves that relationships are unimportant
Why: The Stoic practice of premeditatio malorum, or 'premeditation of evils,' prepares the mind for misfortune so that its occurrence is less overwhelming, while also encouraging appreciation for present blessings.
Q5. When a Stoic faces the loss of a loved one, which response best reflects Stoic teaching?
- A. Suppressing all emotion and pretending nothing happened
- B. Recognizing that mortal things are impermanent and grieving with acceptance and reason ✓
- C. Blaming the gods and refusing to engage with life again
- D. Concluding that attachment to others was a mistake and avoiding future connections
Why: Stoics did not require people to feel nothing. They accepted that all things are impermanent and taught grief tempered by reason, while still valuing relationships and continuing to act virtuously toward others.
Module 7
Module 7: Living a Meaningful Life Today
Living a Meaningful Life Today
Knowledge check
Q1. According to Stoic philosophy, which of the following is entirely within our control?
- A. Our reputation among others
- B. Our own judgments and responses to events ✓
- C. The outcome of our business ventures
- D. Whether others treat us fairly
Why: Epictetus taught that our judgments, intentions, and responses are within our control, while external events, reputation, and other people's actions are not. Focusing on what we can control is a core Stoic practice for reducing anxiety and living well.
Q2. What is the Stoic 'dichotomy of control'?
- A. The idea that the mind and body are separate substances
- B. The distinction between what is up to us and what is not up to us ✓
- C. The belief that emotions should be expressed freely
- D. The split between wealth and poverty in society
Why: The dichotomy of control, central to Epictetus's Enchiridion, separates things within our power (our values, choices, and responses) from things beyond it (health, wealth, others' opinions). Applying this distinction helps us direct our effort wisely.
Q3. The Stoic practice of 'premeditatio malorum' involves which of the following?
- A. Planning revenge against those who wrong us
- B. Imagining potential difficulties in advance to prepare emotionally ✓
- C. Avoiding all thoughts about the future
- D. Recording daily accomplishments in a journal
Why: Premeditatio malorum, or 'premeditation of evils,' means mentally rehearsing possible setbacks such as loss, illness, or failure. Seneca and Marcus Aurelius recommended it so that adversity feels less shocking and we respond with greater equanimity when it arrives.
Q4. How might a Stoic respond to criticism on social media in modern life?
- A. By responding angrily to defend their reputation
- B. By recognizing that the opinions of others are not in their control and focusing on their own conduct ✓
- C. By deleting all accounts to avoid any contact with others
- D. By seeking to make every critic change their mind
Why: A Stoic accepts that others' opinions belong to them, not us. Our task is to act well according to our own values. This allows criticism to be received with calm, and responses can be guided by reason rather than reactive emotion.
Q5. Which modern habit most closely reflects the Stoic practice of evening self-reflection?
- A. Scrolling through news feeds before bed
- B. Reviewing the day to ask where you acted well and where you fell short ✓
- C. Planning the next day's social events
- D. Avoiding all thoughts of the day's events
Why: Seneca and Marcus Aurelius described nightly review, asking how we behaved, what we did wrong, and what we might improve. Journaling or reflecting on the day's conduct is a modern version of this practice, supporting moral growth and self-awareness.