Marcus Aurelius / Edition 1

by John Sellars

Overview

In this new study, John Sellars offers a fresh examination of Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations as a work of philosophy by placing it against the background of the tradition of Stoic philosophy to which Marcus was committed.

The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius is a perennial bestseller, attracting countless readers drawn to its unique mix of philosophical reflection and practical advice. The emperor is usually placed alongside Seneca and Epictetus as one of three great Roman Stoic authors, but he wears his philosophy lightly, not feeling the need to state explicitly the ideas standing behind the reflections that he was writing for himself. As a consequence, his standing as a philosopher has often been questioned. Challenging claims that Marcus Aurelius was merely an eclectic thinker, that the Meditations do not fit the model of a work of philosophy, that there are no arguments in the work, and that it only contains superficial moral advice, Sellars shows that he was in constant dialogue with his Stoic predecessors, engaging with themes drawn from all three parts of Stoicism: logic, physics, and ethics. The image of Marcus Aurelius that emerges is of a committed Stoic, engaging with a wide range of philosophical topics, motivated by the desire to live a good life.

This volume will be of interest to scholars and students of both Classics and Philosophy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780367146078
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	07/03/2020
Series:	Philosophy in the Roman World
Pages:	156
Product dimensions:	6.88(w) x 9.69(h) x (d)

About the Author

John Sellars is Lecturer in Philosophy at Royal Holloway, University of London, a Visiting Research Fellow at King’s College London, and a member of Wolfson College, Oxford. His previous books include The Art of Living, Stoicism, Hellenistic Philosophy, and Lessons in Stoicism. He is also the editor of The Routledge Handbook of the Stoic Tradition.

Table of Contents

Preface vii

References and abbreviations ix

Introduction 1

Part I Marcus and his Meditations 5

1 Marcus the Stoic philosopher 7

2 The Meditations, a philosophical text 20

Part II Logic 37

3 Impressions and judgements 39

Part III Physics 55

4 Nature and change 57

5 Fate and providence 68

6 Soul and emotion 81

7 Time and death 90

Part IV Ethics 105

8 Virtue and justice 107

9 The cosmic city 117

Conclusion 127

Appendix 128

Bibliography 130

Index of passages 138

Subject index 145