230403 What I learned in my studies this morning 3

Mad-Ku

The complete <noun> of

<Name of a famous person>

<Is / Are> so <adjective>.

Thoughts:

The other day I bought a four books series called Socrates' Children by Peter Kreeft.  I may regret that now.

In this four-volume series, Kreeft delivers, with his characteristic wit and clarity, an introduction to philosophy via the hundred greatest philosophers of all time. Socrates’ Children examines the big ideas of four major eras—ancient, medieval, modern, and contemporary—and immerses the reader in the “great conversation,” the ongoing dialogue among the great thinkers of history, including the most influential philosopher of all: Socrates, the father of Western philosophy.

I thought it might be a nice set to use to introduce my kids to a broader group of philosophers.  Before purchasing, I read the reviews and did some spot checks of the text.  Everything looked fine.

Having spent a few minutes with the Ancient Philosophers (volume 1), I read through Kreeft's summary of Stoic philosophers (Epictetus, Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, and Cicero [sic]).

In less than 10 minutes, I spotted 4 major errors in his recounting of basic Stoic doctrine.

• He claims that the modern use of the word stoic (small s, stiff upper lip, etc.) is a "pretty historically accurate" description of Stoic (capital S) thought.  It is not.  Far from it.
• He mentions how Seneca "preached Stoic poverty . . . ."  There is no such thing.  Stoics view money as a preferred indifferent — so long as it does not endanger my pursuit of virtue, I am free to have money or not according to my desire and abilities.
• He mentions that, in his suicide, Seneca "entered a warm bath to ease his pain but suffocated from the vapor."  The bath was specifically meant to aid the suicide, to help him bleed out faster.
• He calls Cicero a Stoic.  While he knew a lot about, and wrote extensively on Stoicism, Cicero was an Academic.

Errors like these, all within just a few pages, makes me seriously doubt whether or not the summaries of others philosophers are accurate.

Today's Meditation:

Today's Meditation II:

Today's Meditation III: