Beyond Stoicism A Guide to the Good Life with Stoics, Skeptics, Epicureans, and Other Ancient Philosophers

Chapter 1 (Prologue): A general introduction to the very idea of a philosophy of life; an explanation of why the focus on the Greco and Roman tradition; and a three-pronged approach to living a good life. The prongs are: pleasure, character, and doubt. They represent three fundamental areas explored by Greco and Roman life philosophies and provide the general framework for the book’s exploration of these philosophies.Chapter 2: Aristippus and pleasure.Chapter 3: Epicurus and the avoidance of pain.Chapter 4: Socrates on knowing yourself.Chapter 5: Plato and the just society.Chapter 6: Aristotle on striking the right balance.Chapter 7: Epictetus and what is truly up to us.Chapter 8: Hipparchia and the courage of rebellion.Chapter 9: Cicero and uncertainty.Chapter 10: Pyrrho and suspending judgment.Chapter 11 (Epilogue): How to generate one’s own manual for a good life. This will be an interactive section where readers will review their experience with each philosophy they have sampled in the book and select what approaches they found most useful. Based on the results of a self-assessment exercise, they will then be guided through constructing their own practical philosophy and given suggestions for further readings to explore how to live a fulfilling philosophical life.