Marcus Aurelius

1. Auflage 2020
ISBN: 978-0-367-14606-1
Verlag: Routledge

Buch, Englisch, 156 Seiten, Format (B × H): 174 mm x 246 mm, Gewicht: 295 g

Reihe: Philosophy in the Roman World

In this new study, John Sellars offers a fresh examination of Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations as a work of philosophy by placing it against the background of the tradition of Stoic philosophy to which Marcus was committed.

The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius is a perennial bestseller, attracting countless readers drawn to its unique mix of philosophical reflection and practical advice. The emperor is usually placed alongside Seneca and Epictetus as one of three great Roman Stoic authors, but he wears his philosophy lightly, not feeling the need to state explicitly the ideas standing behind the reflections that he was writing for himself. As a consequence, his standing as a philosopher has often been questioned. Challenging claims that Marcus Aurelius was merely an eclectic thinker, that the Meditations do not fit the model of a work of philosophy, that there are no arguments in the work, and that it only contains superficial moral advice, Sellars shows that he was in constant dialogue with his Stoic predecessors, engaging with themes drawn from all three parts of Stoicism: logic, physics, and ethics. The image of Marcus Aurelius that emerges is of a committed Stoic, engaging with a wide range of philosophical topics, motivated by the desire to live a good life.

This volume will be of interest to scholars and students of both Classics and Philosophy.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Sellars, John

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Alte Geschichte & Archäologie
• Geisteswissenschaften Philosophie Philosophie: Allgemeines, Methoden
• Geisteswissenschaften Philosophie Geschichte der Westlichen Philosophie

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Introduction; Part I: Marcus and his Meditations; 1. Marcus the Stoic philosopher; 2. The Meditations, a philosophical text; Part II: Logic; 3. Impressions and judgements; Part III: Physics; 4. Nature and change; 5. Fate and providence; 6. Soul and emotion; 7. Time and death; Part IV: Ethics; 8. Virtue and justice; 9. The cosmic city; Conclusion

Über Autor(innen)

John Sellars is Lecturer in Philosophy at Royal Holloway, University of London, a Visiting Research Fellow at King’s College London, and a member of Wolfson College, Oxford. His previous books include The Art of Living, Stoicism, Hellenistic Philosophy, and Lessons in Stoicism. He is also the editor of The Routledge Handbook of the Stoic Tradition.