Self Directed Study in Philosophy | Stoic Philosophy, Texts, and Practices | Sadler's Advice

[@lauraswoboda6265]

I'm ao glad that I discovered this lecture. I treat stoicism kind of like religion, since I don't believe in any higher power. I try to read stoic classics everyday like a bible and contemplate about it. Recently I have been thinking a lot about 'Memento Mori' and its true meaning. This has changed my way of thinking a lot. I try to treat every single day as if it was my last and therefore I do my best to successfully close some current issues. I procrastinate less and I am more excited to face the challenges (even though I have depression and anxiety). Watching this was so beneficial. So thankful! ❤

[@GregoryBSadler]

Glad it was helpful for you

[@AdamFiregate]

My favorite book for repeating is the Enchiridion. In the last 3 years I read and listened to more than 100 times. One of the best advice for learning is the repeat method :) Many thanks for this video as well! ;)

[@GregoryBSadler]

You're very welcome!

[@Retrogamer71]

45:45 Books in the revival of Stoicism. 49:42 Reading and the Value of understanding.

[@repubblesmcglonky8990]

I read The Meditations while in Hospital years ago and it really helped and I absolutely adored it, I was overcome by a great sense of inner peace that I had never felt before

[@GregoryBSadler]

Wait until you read Epictetus and Seneca!

[@ryfreedman]

What a gold mine this video was. Thanks for all the advice on what to read!!!

[@GregoryBSadler]

You're very welcome!

[@user-no3tv3ho4v]

This is so helpful, thank you so much! Hope you have a great day!

[@GregoryBSadler]

Glad you find it useful. More of these coming each month

[@SCnative64]

Happy to find this lecture channel. I found the Daily Stoic first. My first text, I'm starting with "The Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius, as translated by Gregory Hays. Personally, I believe that I want to integrate the principles of this philosophy into my life, to become a better person.What a beautiful thing that these treasures are just as valuable and valued today as they were 2 000 years ago by our wise Ancestors.

[@GregoryBSadler]

Wait until you start getting deeper into the more substantial Stoic sources!

[@SCnative64]

@GregoryBSadler Dr. Sadler. readings do you recommend that aren't too "dense" or "heavy" but that expound on concepts and principles we can actually use to improve as people? Thank you in advance.

[@GregoryBSadler]

@@SCnative64 You already have my recommendations. And here's another one: don't sell yourself short by trying to avoid the "dense" or "heavy"

[@jom3906]

Thank you so much Dr Saddler! I've been tiptoeing around Stoicism for months and not managing to find my way in it between the modern books, the ancient stoics and other web ressources it was hard to see where to start with limited time besides work. I feel much more confident starting my study now with your advices, even though I feel I may be in for it for a long time, I somewhat weirdly feel that's okay. Thanks for your video, please keep going, it's thanks to you and Massimo Pigliucci and a few others I've taken an interest in philosophy and Stoicism. Thanks a lot, I appreciate what you're doing.

[@GregoryBSadler]

Glad this was helpful for you in that qay

[@silasstone5254]

This video has been incredibly helpful. Seeing as recently I have found myself drawn towards stoicism, I feel I should have watched this video before beginning my studies. I began with Marcus Aurelius but then went straight for secondary literature (Pigliucci, Irvine etc.). I realise now the importance of reading and understanding the original stoic texts before diving in to these more moderns constructs of what such authors took away from stoicism. Thank you very much!

[@GregoryBSadler]

You're welcome

[@BakersDelightSam]

Thanks for the tip on Epitetus's Discourses from Amazon. After watching your Reason IO video's on the Enchiridion I was thinking to ask which you might recommend and there it was! Great video, Thanks.

[@GregoryBSadler]

There's plenty of decent editions out there

[@endlessbreeze]

im here to learn!

[@GregoryBSadler]

That’s great!

[@saswatagupta5288]

" Basically as they're not Nietzsche"😆

[@licandres01]

Thank you, I added a lot of books to my wishing list :D

[@GregoryBSadler]

You're welcome!

[@sednasix6608]

16:46 - "So, where should you start?"

[@GregoryBSadler]

With readings. Start the video at the start

[@stoamadrid476]

Thanks, Greg! This is very useful. I'm gonna use it at the Stoa. Cheers!

[@GregoryBSadler]

Glad it's helpful for you.

[@istoiche]

Thank you!

[@GregoryBSadler]

You're welcome!

[@carlherring8611]

Somebody recommended the Becker's "A New Stoicism" to me. I tried to read it, but found it almost completely impenetrable. I persisted until I got to the part with the logic notation and then admitted defeat! I have no idea what those symbols mean and don't know where to start. I'd still love to be able to follow Becker's argument for secular virtue ethics, and wonder if it couldn't have been presented much more simply. Is it the argument itself that's difficult or (as I suspect) just the presentation that's the problem? Of course, a video by you outlining the argument would be amazing.

[@GregoryBSadler]

I took a tutorial client through that book, and in weekly sessions, it took us about two months. That's not including the logic, which you don't actually need for his arguments (note plural) and expositions. Complex, well-thought-out philosophy is difficult. There's no way anyone could remotely do justice to the book in just one video.

[@paosemsal2776]

You should write a book on stoicism :)

[@GregoryBSadler]

I am, in fact several, but with all the other things I do, it’s slow going

[@GregoryBSadler]

@@gotterdammerung6088 Well, they have to be written first - but I'm glad to read it

[@GregoryBSadler]

@@gotterdammerung6088 Sure, though you might want to see whether I already have a video addressing it

[@GregoryBSadler]

@@gotterdammerung6088 That's a bit tough. I tend to think that when it comes to thinkers that might bring a person along to a different place, it requires a connection of temperament between the reader and the writer. I can say that for me Anselm was an important thinker along those lines

[@GregoryBSadler]

@@gotterdammerung6088 I wouldn't necessarily recommend Anselm. Like I said, he was important for me, but might not be so for you. So much depends on temperament, what one is ready for, etc. and I don't know you at all. If you wanted to read Anselm, you could start with the Proslogion. You might find it worth reading for you, or you might not

[@tjjudd101]

Can you recommend any books or articles about Stoic logic and how it contrasts with Aristotelean logic? Is there any literature on Stoic logic at all?

[@GregoryBSadler]

There’s not a ton out there, since what we have is quite fragmentary. We can we’ll imagine a lot of overlap between what Stoics and Aristotle and his followers over the centuries we’re doing in that area. And then some interesting differences,

[@krisantusyustus20]

THANK YOU

[@GregoryBSadler]

You're welcome

[@1PercentPure]

Thanks a lot man

[@GregoryBSadler]

You're welcome!

[@stancanner]

Hi Dr Sadler. Thank you so much for your videos! I’m 21 and studying philosophy at university but can currently only speak English. If I wanted to take my studies further would it be important to learn more languages? Is that possible at my age?

[@GregoryBSadler]

It's always possible to learn other languages

[@shantanuarora6681]

I am not a native English speaker and struggle with translation of primary texts. Which secondary text would you suggest that easy to understand( simpler English). Thank you

[@GregoryBSadler]

I wouldn’t. Find the Stoic texts translated into your language

[@edry.g]

do you have to start with plato before you move to the stoics

[@GregoryBSadler]

Have to? No. Might it be helpful? Yep

[@edry.g]

@@GregoryBSadlerokay thank you!😇 really appreciate your videos, they’ve been a great help!

[@angelovantoorn942]

Hello Dr. Sadler do you have a video or any recommendations about focusing on particular schools? Is it better to focus on one author or school for some time before moving to others? I can say the first work that really started my journey to learning philosophy was Seneca’s letters. I found them wonderful , I then read meditations and on shortness of life and now I recently got into The republic which I find really nice to read albeit quite challenging. Is it folly to move from philosopher to philosopher of different thoughts. Because I’m sure a lifetime can be devoted to plated or Aristotle alone. Thank you again for All you work especially your video on self directed study of Plato it helped a lot.

[@GregoryBSadler]

There's lots of ways to study

[@josephparkes6412]

Could you do one of these on Spinoza? I really struggled with Ethics

[@GregoryBSadler]

Eventually, yes. There's probably a good 20-30 other thinkers ahead of him I'd do first, unless you want to commission that video

[@josephparkes6412]

@@GregoryBSadler would kierkegaard be higher up on the list?

[@GregoryBSadler]

@@josephparkes6412 Yep

[@xyoungdipsetx]

Should I get the enchiridion or the discourses first?

[@GregoryBSadler]

What's the book recommended to you in the video description?

[@juksaaapersin]

Your "AOOOOthor" pronunciation is tight !!

[@licandres01]

Your thoughts on Ryan Holliday's books?

[@GregoryBSadler]

I don't spend time on them

[@nazimdjedaa2829]

Hi Dr Sadler, thanks for this Self Directed Study series, I have one question though I speak French and English equally well, so do you think that I should read greek, latin and german texts in english or french translations in general or is it a case by case basis ? Cheers!

[@GregoryBSadler]

If you can read them in either, do that. I sometimes read French or German translations of other language works - when I have the time - because it's interesting to see what other translators make of them

[@Retrogamer71]

Have you ever noticed translation helps with semantic reach in your mother tongue?

[@GregoryBSadler]

@@Retrogamer71 I'm not a good person to answer that. I was reading at age 3, and just sort of absorbed vocabulary. So by the time I came to studying German, French, Latin, and Greek, I already knewa lot of the cognates from English.

[@GabrielRocheleau]

Thanks for this video Dr. Sadler. Also, the "buy me a coffee" link in the description leads to a 404 error.

[@GregoryBSadler]

That's an issue on their end - I've notified them