John Vespasian

It is easy to preach moderation when one does not have the resources or capability to engage in excesses. If I can afford to eat only bread and cheese, it doesn’t cost me anything to speak against gluttony and luxurious food. Late in life, Seneca was the foremost apostle of moderation, but his previous lifestyle did not always reflect his acquired ideas. Thus, when prompted to declare allegiance t...

Despite its benefits, there is a crucial flaw in the doctrine of moderation proposed by Seneca. The problem is not new in the history of philosophy. Four centuries earlier, Aristotle (384-322 BC) had committed the same error when he came up with the doctrine of the golden mean. I blame the flaw on the philosophers’ desire to give complex advice. Aristotle had defined virtue as a middle point or go...

Experience has taught me to be sceptical of philosophical or ideological proclamations, especially when they conflict with my own observations. Seneca wrote abundantly about self-control and moderation, but I see too few successful examples in reality. Did Seneca expect that people would adopt his philosophy? Would he wonder why, centuries later, practically everybody is ignoring his advice? In th...

One of the advantages of reading Seneca is that it helps us think in terms of principles. Philosophy is meant to provide universal insights that help us solve problems rapidly. In his 8th Letter to Lucilius, Seneca outlines a key principle for individuals willing to lead a life of moderation. The short version of the principle reads “we become stronger if we resist luxury and embrace a modest life...

Realistic individuals are naturally suspicious of propositions that look too good to be true. No wonder. Experience proves to all that there is no free lunch, and that we should better watch out when someone promises anything resembling a free lunch. Seneca did not make unrealistic promises. In his writings, he deployed vast efforts to remain sound, credible and down-to-earth. If he failed to achi...

Seneca’s fall from grace in the early Roman Empire had been spectacular. In a short period, he had gone from imperial chancellor to deportee. He had gone from the luxuries of Rome to exile on an island in the Mediterranean. Can self-discipline protect us from suffering when we face a severe reversal of fortune? Seneca thought so and viewed self-discipline as the best training method against suffer...

The most crucial philosophical lesson is learning to use our time effectively. Seneca devoted his dialogue titled “On the Shortness of Life” to presenting this insight. He defended the thesis that human life is long enough to do all the important things that ensure our happiness. The problem is that we get distracted by unimportant issues and waste years in the pursuit of inconsequential goals. Fr...

When people read the writings of Seneca and put them into practice, the consequences can be disappointing. If they were looking for easy solutions, they would soon discover that Stoicism is hard to implement and arduous to sustain. Am I exaggerating the difficulties of practising Stoicism in all areas of life? Not in the least. The effort involved can prove much larger than people had expected, an...

In contrast to most Ancient Greek and Roman philosophers, Seneca remained highly consistent between his writings and his own life. I am referring specifically to his life in Corsica, where he had been exiled by Emperor Nero (54-68 AD). Seneca’s wisdom or “art of living” has maintained its value through the centuries because it responds to a crucial need. It is answering the question “What to do wh...

The writings of Seneca are so persuasive that readers can be tempted to put them into practice before having a clear idea of the consequences. If they follow Seneca’s advice to the letter, I fear that they could get themselves in trouble. Interpretation is a necessary step between the philosophical ideals presented by Seneca and the reality we face every day. I love Seneca’s insights and examples,...

Despite the overall soundness of his ideas, Seneca incurred important inconsistencies. His wisdom or “art of living” needs rectifications to avoid potentially lethal risks. Let us point out those inconsistencies and see how to address them. Three centuries before Seneca, Cleanthes had enunciated a crucial tenet of Stoicism: “People who conform to the dictates of their circumstances tend to do bett...

A linear view of human nature constitutes the weakest point of Seneca as a philosopher. He regarded humans as rational, but with a tendency to do too much or too little. If we want to prevent anxiety and worry, he theorized, we should embrace moderation in all things. Seneca considered anxiety and worry to be the roots of most unhappiness. His recipe for preventing grief is avoiding strong emotion...

Virtue rewards, first and foremost, its practitioner. That was the reason for Aristotle to recommend virtues such as ambition and personal initiative. Seneca did not share the views of Aristotle on virtue because, for Seneca, achievement and success represent the exceptions in life, not the rule. In the 72nd Letter to Lucilius, Seneca explains his concept of human nature and virtue. Life is full o...

It is not easy to summarize the work of a lifetime in one sentence, especially when the person in question has written one and a half million words. However, in Aristotle’s case, we do not even need a full sentence to summarize his teachings. We can do it in just one word: causality. Aristotle (384-322 BC) is not only one of the three most influential philosophers in history, but the creator of a...

Learning to fish is more valuable than getting a free meal, because the former can feed us for a lifetime. Methods are far more valuable than objects, because objects are finite. Methods are not limited in time. We can simply employ them to arrive at our goals once and again. The essays by Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) include an important hidden message: Keep your eyes open and stay alert. Don’...

I view Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) as one of the most realistic philosophers in history. He was remarkably talented at analysing problems, reviewing possible solutions, discarding the unworkable, and selecting the most promising amongst the rest. Let me underline the step “discarding the unworkable.” It is something that most philosophers forget to do. They will fall in love with their favouri...

When I analyse the biography of great individuals, I always focus on one question: What did they do to become great? My objective is to figure out exactly what they did differently than everybody else. The difference is what counts. Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) made it particularly clear that he wanted to differentiate himself from his peers. His vast literary achievements are not the result of...

In our century, the protection of privacy has acquired crucial importance. I cannot even count the number of celebrities that have seen their life disrupted because a journalist has intruded in their privacy. Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) was aware of the dangers associated with popularity. He also knew the financial advantages that one can draw from it, but after careful reflection, he opted fo...

The biographies of great individuals teach us many lessons, but I am always seeking the common thread between them. In the case of Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592), it requires some work to figure out the key lesson. Montaigne’s essay titled “On the inequality amongst us” is conveying the key lesson from his life, namely, that we should accept without complaints the fact that each person is differe...

Instead of endless abstract discussions, I prefer philosophers to cut to the chase and give me an example of their theories. If the example is convincing, I may explore their theories further. On the other hand, if the example doesn’t make sense, I will no longer care what that philosopher claims to know. If a plan cannot be put into practice, I don’t want to waste time studying the details. Senec...

In his Letters to Lucilius and essays, Seneca gave a detailed recipe for personal fulfilment. His insights can be applied still today. I am going to summarize them in the next paragraphs. When necessary, I am adapting Seneca’s ideas to our century. The search for personal fulfilment is a lifetime mission. It is not a quick fix that will take us to a plateau of permanent, uninterrupted happiness. E...

High productivity depends on quality-consciousness. There is simply no other way to sell sizeable amounts of products and services at a profit. If we do not deliver quality, customers are going to complain, and we will have to devote our resources to satisfying those complaints. Thus if we want to achieve our goals in business and private activities, we need to pay attention to every step of the p...

Compared to Ancient Greece and Rome, people nowadays can easily choose to be as lonely or as gregarious as they wish. Our ability to give shape to our lifestyle is much larger than in the times of Aristotle (384-322 BC) or Seneca. However, the benefits that we can draw from solitude have not changed through the centuries. I find Seneca’s observations in this respect particularly insightful. In his...

I am always puzzled when I see historians or philosophers put forward theories for which the evidence is rather thin. Even if they write a treatise about their theory, readers will ask to see the evidence, the facts, the clues. Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) produced a compelling collection of essays, but historians have exaggerated his impact on early modern philosophy; their arguments are so fa...

Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) had zero impact on early modern philosophy because his great merit was to look to the past, not to the future. As a result, Montaigne developed a new, fresh, truly modern mentality that put him decades ahead of his literary peers. When Montaigne looked at history, mostly antique history, he picked up ideas and facts that he found useful. He was very familiar with th...