To mark the publication of the revised second edition of Stoicism and the Art of Happiness, Donald Robertson will be giving a talk and signing copies of the book at Ben McNally’s independent bookstore in downtown Toronto. Donald is one of the founding members of the Modern Stoicism organization.
The store are also taking pre-orders for signed copies of the forthcoming How to Think Like a Roman Emperor: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius.
Event: Stoicism and Death
The event will be introduced by Peter Limberg, organizer of the Stoicism Toronto group. Please RSVP on Meetup if you’re planning to attend.
The philosopher Seneca said that to learn how to die is to unlearn how to be a slave. The Stoics taught that the wise man (or woman) enjoys life but is unafraid of dying. Donald will provide an introduction to Stoicism focusing on its relevance to modern life. This will be followed by a discussion of the Stoic practice of contemplating one’s own death.
It is not the things themselves that disturb men, but their judgements about these things. For example, death is nothing terrible, or else Socrates too would have thought so, but the judgement that death is terrible, this is the terrible thing.
Epictetus
The Stoics believed that our fear of death is the most fundamental form of human anxiety and that by overcoming it we master many unhealthy fears and desires. Contemplating death, by viewing each day as if it could be our last also helps us, they said, to remain more fully grounded in the present moment and make the most of life.
It is not possible to live well today unless you treat it as your last day.
Musonius Rufus
The Stoic teacher Epictetus reminded his students that Roman emperors and generals celebrating a triumph were accompanied by a slave whispering the words memento mori in their ears, “remember you must die”, encouraging them to remain grounded and self-aware.
For Stoics like Marcus Aurelius, contemplating the bigger picture is the secret to mastering our fear of death. He quoted Socrates who asked whether human life can seem like a big deal to a great-souled individual, a philosopher, who has embraced the whole of time and reality in his thoughts. Socrates concluded that to such a person not even their own demise will seem frightening.
Come along and learn about Stoicism and its ancient philosophy of death.
Event Details
Time/Date: 2-4pm, Saturday 2nd February
Venue:Ben McNally Books, 366 Bay Street, Toronto, ON M5H 4B2. (Map)
Email:info@benmcnallybooks.com
Tel:1-416-361-0032
Mon-Fri 9-6, Saturday (except long weekends) 11-5, Closed on Sunday
Web:benmcnallybooks.com
RSVP now on Meetup if you’re thinking of attending.
Author Details
Donald Robertson is a cognitive psychotherapist, trainer and writer. He’s the author of six books on philosophy and psychotherapy, including The Philosophy of Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy, Stoicism and the Art of Happiness, and How to Think Like a Roman Emperor. Donald was born in Scotland but has been living in Canada since 2013.
