Seneca (Stoicism)

Question 1

Who was Seneca?

Answer 1

A contemporary of Jesus and Paul
He wrote on Mercy

Question 2

Compare stoicism and Christianity.

Answer 2

Stoics believe Reason/Logic is god. an eternal perfect mind. And Logos is the thing that produces the way things ought to be in the universe. Natural law
Stoics believe logos is nature. God put this in your mind to help you act correctly
Christianity believes the logos is God. God is the source of natural law.

Question 3

What is a stoic sage?

Answer 3

Stoics believe that you cant get at anything without first figuring out what things are for (Final cause). Happiness is the goal of life, which requires knowing what you are. Man is a rational creature. therefore we need moral commandments to act rationally. We are designed to run on morality, so we will only be happy when running on morality. The only one who can do all this perfectly is a “sage”

Question 4

What do stoics say about morality?

Answer 4

Following natural law will make you happy, so being moral is all that matters.

Question 5

What does Seneca say about mercy?

Answer 5

Mercy is an important virtue. The golden rule

Question 6

What is the mean of mercy?

Answer 6

The right balance

Question 7

What is the excess of mercy?

Answer 7

Rashness

Question 8

What are the two vices of mercy?

Answer 8

Excess of mercy: piety
Deficiency of mercy: Cruelty