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Stoic Wisdom

The power of an idea doesn’t depend on who it came from, but rather how it influences our behavior today.
Green field with yellow flowers, trees in distance, underneath blue sky
Schwerzenbach, Switzerland

The Moral Letters for Modern Times are inspired by Seneca’s Moral Letters to Lucilius. Written near the end of Seneca’s life, his letters survey and distill Stoic philosophy on what it means to live a good life.

The Moral Letters for Modern Times are a modern version of Seneca's letters. I follow his topics and his format but use modern examples to illustrate Stoic principles.

--> See Moral Letters in Chronological Order. Read the letters in order or browse the topics at your leisure.

--> See Be Patient for some inspiration to take your time whichever way you choose.

Why Create A New Version of the Moral Letters?

Seneca was a clear thinker and a brilliant writer, so why would I think to craft another version? Multiple reasons:

  1. I wanted to deepen my own understanding of Stoic philosophy. Explaining the ideas in my own words meant going beyond simply reading passively.
  2. I wanted to make Stoic concepts more accessible to modern readers, including people who are interested in the human condition but don’t necessarily want to devote hours a day to their studies.
  3. I was following Seneca’s advice. He urges us to grapple with important ideas and to make personal our understanding of the truth.
  4. Finally, I wanted to do something positive and helpful. The power of an idea doesn’t depend on who it came from, but rather on how it influences our behavior today.

Seneca believed no one has a monopoly on the truth and that we can each contribute to humankind’s quest.

If I inspire you to pursue Stoic wisdom, I will have made a contribution.

Be well.