Date: 01/22/03 07:49:17 PM
Name: "Diogenes"
Subject: The Meditations : Some Questions to Start You Off
City/Location: Chicago

Now that we've finished the first chapter of "The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius", if any of you find yourselves asking "fine, but what do you want us to say about all of this", here are a few possible subjects to explore.

1. In the course of talking about the people he remembers, and admires, Marcus Aurelius is telling us what it is that he finds admirable, and gives us a sense of what his values are. How would you describe that set of values? What, in his adult life, would have tended to inspire him to hold to those values? What would you say the virtues and deficits are of that set of values, and what of value could we learn from them today?



2. What do you know, historically, about the people Marcus Aurelius talks about? How about, about the author himself? Did he seem to live by his stated ideals? Please explain.



3. How traditional were the values Marcus Aurelius espoused, in the context of Roman society? Compare and contrast with Pre-Stoic Roman values. Is there a contrast, or does Stoicism do no more in this case than provide apologetics for a value system which predates its advent in Roman society?



4. The Stoics claimed to have honored the gods of the Roman state religion. Is what we see in Classical mythology compatible with, or at odds with Stoic doctrine? Why? Please illustrate using commentary about specific myths, as applicable.



5. What, if any, influence do you think these ideas have on history? Please go into detail.

This is not an exhaustive list of questions, and I hope nobody would limit himself to them. It's just something to get you going, assuming that anybody is actually reading this. Nobody is responding, so it's hard not to wonder. I'm going to hold off on giving my contact information for a little bit, because I'd rather see people contribute to making this forum come alive, than see them take this to private e-mail with me.

What would I like to see happen here? I would be delighted if all of you would run out and buy the Meditations or at least borrow it from the library. It is one of the classics, literally, and even if you don't agree with a word in it, reading will help you understand the history of Western thought a little better than you did before. I'm realistic enough, though, to know that few reading this will go out and do that, which is why I posted the text of that first chapter, with a regretable wealth of typographical errors, I notice. I don't mind doing that every once in a while, as long as doing so seems to serve some kind of purpose.

Did it? Only you can answer that question. the way you answer it is by responding. So, let's hear what you have to think. (Click here to continue)