The stoicism of Lucius Annaeus Seneca is a practical philosophical doctrine that focuses primarily on the question of the morality of man, leaving aside the logical and physical approaches to the traditional stoicism.
Seneca is considered one of the leading figures in Stoic philosophy, whose ideas have served as an example and inspiration for important philosophers, intellectuals, and religious thinkers.
Lucio Anneo Seneca
His contributions are framed within the so-called later stage of Stoicism, known as Roman, New or Imperial Stoicism, which mainly promoted ethical and moral approaches.
Seneca's Stoicism sought the renewal of the Stoic doctrine, with proposals that would reinforce and promote the field of ethics.
Seneca's Stoicism
Although Seneca wrote on an infinity of questions, his most important contributions are related to the ethical and moral dimension of man, through the establishment of norms and ways of acting, away from vices and the vulgar.
Thus, Seneca's stoicism offers all kinds of advice and reflections of a moralistic nature to take care of oneself, be useful to others and have a good life.
His stoic legacy was reflected in his vast and varied works of intellectual production devoted mainly to moral questions:
124 Moral Epistles to Lucilius
124 Moral Epistles to Lucilius, also known as Seneca's Philosophical Letters, are considered a manual of the ideals of Seneca's stoicism, which showed that he was a more practical than theoretical philosopher.
The letters to Lucilio deal with doctrinal problems as well as various philosophical and moral questions that interest a wider audience despite being addressed to a specific person.
The epistles are intended to be the answer to problems and queries raised by Lucilio, however the query itself is not detailed, but rather focuses directly on the answers, as a reflection or essay.
This work is still so current that Seneca's Epistles have been compared with today's so-called self-help books.
Dialogues
Seneca's Dialogues bring together essays that recreate dialogue and diatribe, addressed to an addressee in direct relationship, on various situations, the configuration of the political system of his time being a repetitive theme.
They are considered a key piece of Seneca's Stoicism in which he expressed his philosophical, political and literary vision, in treatises of a moral nature, combining his personal temperament with the principles of Stoicism.
His dialogues revolutionized the classical treatises with a lack of formalism, a load of subjectivity and spontaneity, as well as a strong presence of the author's stoic personality.
Seneca was governed more by common sense and his experiences than by pre-established foundations and dogmas, directly addressing moral issues as an individual.
Natural issues
Seneca's Natural Issues are made up of a set of studies on natural phenomena, in which it aims to discover the causes of various natural events, such as: winds, snow, earthquakes, etc.
This work seeks to achieve rational knowledge of the world as a dignified and liberating human activity, through theological and epistemological reflections, which facilitate the approach to God by moderating the force of reason.
References
- José Castro (1997). SENECA AND STOICISM. Process Magazine. Mexico Edition. Comunicación e Información SA de CV Extracted on October 13, 2017 from: proces.com.mx
- Andrea Lozano Vásquez (2011). STOICISM. Philosophica: Online philosophical encyclopedia. Retrieved October 13, 2017 from: philosophica.info
- Ricardo Sánchez Ortiz de Urbina (1968). LUCIO ANNEO SÉNECA. Encyclopedia of Spanish Culture. Volume 5. Editora Nacional, Madrid. Adaptation to digital format by Proyecto Filosofía en Español. Retrieved October 13, 2017 from: philosophia.org
- Miguel de Cervantes Virtual Library (s / f). WORKS BY LUCIO ANNEO SÉNECA. Miguel de Cervantes Virtual Library Foundation. Retrieved October 13, 2017 from: cervantesvirtual.com
- Juan Camilo Betancur-Gómez (2012). PHILOSOPHY AND EXERCISE OF THE SOUL IN LETTERS TO LUCILIO DE SÉNECA. Thought and Culture Magazine. Number: July-December. Redalyc Scientific Information System. Network of Scientific Journals of Latin America and the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal. Retrieved October 13, 2017 from: redalyc.org