A short review of Beyond Stoicism

An enjoyably thought-provoking new book by Massimo Pigliucci, Gregory Lopez, and Meredith Alexander Kunz

While we spend most of our time at Stoicism for Humans discussing a Stoic perspective on life, I think it’s important to point out that I’m not a highly partisan Stoic; I enjoy learning about other types of philosophies and discussing philosophical/ psychological ideas from many different angles. Personally, I practice Stoicism because I think it offers the best way for me to understand the world and live a good life, but I don’t think it’s the only way. Many people I respect hold different beliefs from me, and I don’t believe it’s necessary for everyone to believe exactly the same thing. (In fact, it would be kind of scary if everyone held identical beliefs!) When it comes to the big questions in life, it’s natural that people will take somewhat different views. For me it’s extremely important not to become dogmatic but to approach all people and ideas with an open spirit and a readiness to learn.

That’s why I really appreciate a new book from Massimo Pigliucci, Greg Lopez, and Meredith Alexander Kunz called Beyond Stoicism: A Guide to the Good Life with Stoics, Skeptics, Epicureans and Other Ancient Philosophers. (Note: In the UK the book is being released under the title Live Like a Philosopher.) The authors are all well-known in the Stoic community, and in the introduction they primarily identify as practicing Stoics. However, they note that Stoicism doesn’t have a monopoly on truth, and that different people with differing personalities and backgrounds may find benefit in other philosophies. They argue that it’s well worth exploring various philosophies to find one that works best for you, or that you might be inspired by elements from multiple philosophies.

So in Beyond Stoicism Pigliucci, Lopez, and Kunz explore 13 flavors of ancient philosophy, ranging from the well known (Aristotelianism) to the obscure (Cyrenaicism). But what’s most interesting is the format they’ve chosen for this exploration. First off, they approach each philosophy not through abstract principles but through the eyes of one particular philosopher. The chapter on Stoicism, for example, focuses on the philosophy of Epictetus, while the chapter on Neoplatonism is told through the story of Hypatia. This really brings each philosophy to life and enables us to understand the very human context in which it was developed and practiced.

A second really interesting aspect of the book is the practical exercises offered for each school of thought. This is not armchair reading—it’s designed for the reader to take all these philosophies for a test drive. After presenting some basic principles, the authors provide five days of serious philosophical exercises for us to try out on our own. It’s entirely possible to spend one week with Epicurus, one with Hipparchia, and one with Carneades, trying on their ideas for size. (Or it might be fun to test out one per month, giving you about a year’s worth of philosophical exercises. Something to keep in mind as we begin the new year in January!)

And a third element I found very interesting is the organization of the book and the way the authors group the 13 philosophies. Rather than simply going chronologically, they organize this metaphorical journey around three “ports”: the port of pleasure, the port of character, and the port of doubt, as well as a bonus section called “Here Be Dragons” for three thinkers on the outer fringes of 21^st century relevance (Pythagoras, Stilpo, and Hypatia). I think many readers will find this grouping very helpful and intuitive as they ponder the big-picture differences between all these philosophies. And it makes for a very interesting exploration of what could be challenging philosophical terrain.

So overall Beyond Stoicism has everything you could want from a book of practical philosophy: relatable stories, well-grounded theoretical explanations, surprising biographical facts, and practical suggestions for practicing these philosophies on your own. I think it’s perfect for all the curious seekers out there who want to know, question, and test philosophical ideas for themselves.

If I had to pick one thing to quibble with, I would say I’m not as sanguine as the authors that these 13 schools of thought offer a philosophical buffet from which we can create our own eclectic philosophy. It takes great thought, care, and skill to do this well. Some innovative thinkers (such as Zeno himself) have been able to blend elements of previous philosophies into one felicitous whole, but if done poorly you might end up with “a monstrous amalgam from quite diverse and incongruous elements” (as Seneca puts it in Letters on Ethics, 92. 9). If a philosophy of life is well constructed, it has an internal coherence that breaks down when you start blending it with other philosophies. Therefore caution is in order.

But while I don’t really advise people to freely help themselves from the smorgasbord of ideas on offer, I think Beyond Stoicism offers great value in testing out a wide variety of philosophical principles for yourself. This research will help you to understand each one better and make a more informed decision about which one makes the most sense to you. Not only will you have more theoretical knowledge, but you’ll also have some experimental results from testing different philosophies in real life (even if your personal sample size is 1). You can be more confident when you do make your decision, and you’ll be in a better position to discuss these ideas with other people. And if you happen to decide Stoicism is not for you, you can move on to the philosophy you like best.

From that perspective, exploring the 13 different philosophies in Beyond Stoicism is extremely rewarding. The three authors have done an excellent job of making this potentially daunting project very accessible and welcoming—delicious fare for the philosophical omnivore. I learned a lot and particularly enjoyed the stories and the creative applications to 21^st century life. The book is available on January 7, and I would definitely recommend preordering so you can get your copy as soon as it’s available. If you enjoy reading about practical philosophy, there’s no doubt you will love Beyond Stoicism.

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