Ancient philosophy is radically unlike modern philosophy, in ways that are fascinating and potentially life-changing. It’s clear that pre-socratics such as Pythagoras were more like monks than professors, and Socrates set an agenda that Plato embraced as a remaking of the mysteries. But what of the Hellenistic schools who came next, the Stoics, Epicureans, Sceptics and Cynics?
In this second talk on Philosophy as Awakening (the first is here), I look at the Stoic goal of alignment with the Logos, the Epicurean remembrance of their founder whose mind traversed the cosmos, the Sceptics links with Indian philosophy, and the nature mysticism of the Cynics that probably inspired subsequent spiritual teachers like Jesus.