Latest / The Stoic Handbook with Jon Brooks
Nobody Does Evil on Purpose. Really?
Stoicism says nobody does wrong on purpose: every bad act begins in a mistaken judgement about what is good. But does that survive contact with clear-eyed cruelty, compulsive habit and modern moral psychology?
I test the claim against Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, Medea, research on psychopathy and the Stoics' own internal disagreement. Then I keep the practical part that still works: catching one assent before it hardens into action.
Sources and further reading:
- Epictetus, Discourses 1.28 and 2.17
- Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 2.1, 7.26 and 11.18
- Cicero, On Fate 42-43
- Aharoni…
The skinny
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