St. George Stock (modern guide) · 1850–1922
A Guide to Stoicism 3 ¶22 — St. George Stock (modern guide)
From “Logic”
Original English text (1908)
St. George Stock (modern guide), A Guide to Stoicism 3 ¶22
The chain argument which we wrongly call the Sorites was also a favorite resource with the Stoics. If a single syllogism did not suffice to argue men into virtue surely a condensed series must be effectual. And so they demonstrated the sufficiency of wisdom for happiness as follows---- The wise man is temperate The temperate is constant The constant is unperturbed The unperturbed is free from sorrow Whoso is free from sorrow is happy The wise man is happy
Cite this passage
St. George Stock (modern guide), A Guide to Stoicism 3 ¶22 (1908)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/a-guide-to-stoicism/3.22
St. George Stock, Stoicism (1908), text of the Haldeman-Julius reprint “A Guide to Stoicism”. Text: Project Gutenberg #7514. Sources and licences
In plain English
AI-written notesThe Stoics used a chain argument to show that wisdom is enough for happiness: the wise person is self-controlled, so steady, so undisturbed, so free from sorrow, so happy. Each step leads to the next, giving a compressed case for the link between wisdom and contentment.
Older wording
- “Sorites”
- — a chain argument in which each conclusion becomes the next premise
- “unperturbed”
- — not disturbed by emotion
- “Whoso”
- — whoever
Themes and situations
- Virtue and character
- Peace of mind
- Emotions and the passions
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