Four Virtues
These are considered four basic virtues of stoicism.
- Wisdom (sometimes Prudence) - translating teachings and knowledge gained into action ('works, not words' - Seneca)
- Courage - Epictetus described life as a war with two words to commit to - persist and resist. Courage is facing fears, risks, harm, possibilities of death and other loss, while persevering even though others may seem to gain and be rewarded for opposing you, your beliefs, etc.
- Justice - Both Marcus Aurelius and Cicero thought this was the most important of the four. Aurelius defined it as directing thoughts and actions towards the common good. He questioned what good wisdom and courage were, if only for oneself. Cicero was known for exemplifying this as life and community purpose, considering unjust whatever one does for oneself that is harmful to someone else.
- Temperance (also Self-control) - basically one should strive mostly for what is essential, both in doing and getting. Epictetus advises keeping one's desires on fewer things instead of many for clearer focus and moderation. Seneca defined how a person should limit wealth to what is essential and what is enough.
Some extrapolations from these virtues
Some examples of practical working out of these
- An example in applying wisdom can be realizing which things we cannot control, and which things we can and putting our efforts towards the things we can - Epictetus.
- Any warrior benefits from practice both from training and life experiences, but courage requires exercising it often in unprepared circumstances. Aside from preparing by learning and deciding where one wants to stand on things, there is really nothing for it but to be ready to start exercising it when a circumstance arises.
- These ideas seem to fly harshly in the face of the sides many at least modern people seem to gravitate to - both the hard right objectivist(pure capitalist, Ayn Rand, etc) and radical left collectivists(socialist, race-baiting, etc) that seem to end up harming selves as well as others. Perhaps this is a reason to guard our actual values of any virtue from being propagandized into trendy ones.
- This gives one a kind of 'double feature' option of being able to do less but still obtain what is important. It this way, one's aims can stay guided by purpose as one decides what directions to continue to do or get in. While the option to carefully and deliberately increase one's efforts for a purpose remains.
Application to Christian life
Possible uses of these ideas for Christians
- James makes a couple of related points in being not only hearers but doers - James 1:22, and in his passages of exemplifying faith by works - James 2:17.
- Depending on how you count it, I've found various results - "Fear not" appearing 71 times in the King James Bible, "Do not be afraid" 145 times in another version. Entire year long daily devotionals have been written from verses for courage. Moses had to keep telling Joshua this when Joshua was about to take over for him. So we don't get it as a default human condition, but one we must pray for and develop when needed.
- The stoics thought of 'logos' as an organizing principle, a divine reasoning, an operating system for the universe, or that which connects all together. This makes an interesting relation to the Christian idea of Logos as The Word, Creator (organizer), He who gathers His, keeping them together insisting we stay united for each other.
- Jesus preaches on this a lot in the New Testament - parable of the rich young ruler, of seeds choked out from cares of the world, of the neverending gathering of wealth keeping one from the kingdom of God, and reiterated related points many times. As Joseph pointed out in interpreting Pharoah's two dreams, if God repeats something it will surely come to pass. As pointed out throughout the book of Ecclesiastes, accumulating wealth, conveniences, etc for oneself only ends in futility.