The philosophy of Stoicism - Massimo Pigliucci

譯者: Crystal Yip 審譯者: Helen Chang

You've been stranded thousands of miles from home

你滯留於離家千里之外

with no money or possessions.

身無分文

Such a predicament would make many people despair and curse their awful fate.

如此困境會使很多人絕望 詛咒他們的惡運

But for Zeno of Cyprus, it became the foundation of his life's work and legacy.

但對於塞浦路斯的芝諾 這處境造就了他的人生成就和傳奇

The once wealthy merchant lost everything when he was shipwrecked in Athens

他曾是富有商人

於公元前約 300 年 在雅典遭遇船難而失去一切

around 300 BCE.

With not much else to do, he wandered into a book shop,

沒甚麼其他的事可做，他閒逛至書店

became intrigued by reading about Socrates,

閱讀蘇格拉底的學說，深深被其吸引

and proceeded to seek out and study with the city's noted philosophers.

進而尋找並求教於城中著名哲學家

As Zeno began educating his own students,

當芝諾開始教導他自己的學生

he originated the philosophy known as Stoicism,

他創立一門哲學，名為「斯多噶主義」

whose teachings of virtue, tolerance, and self-control

關於德行、寬容和自制的學說

have inspired generations of thinkers and leaders.

啟發一代代的思想家和領袖

The name Stoicism comes from the Stoa Poikile,

「斯多噶主義」這名稱來源於 「Stoa Poikile」

the decorated public colonnade

有裝飾的公共柱廊

where Zeno and his disciples gathered for discussion.

那是芝諾和門生聚集討論的地方

Today, we colloquially use the word stoic

今天，我們日常說話 會使用「stoic」

to mean someone who remains calm under pressure

來指某人面對壓力仍處之泰然

and avoids emotional extremes.

避免極端情緒

But while this captures important aspects of Stoicism,

雖然這捕捉到斯多噶主義的重要方面

the original philosophy was more than just an attitude.

但原本的哲學不僅是一種處世態度

The Stoics believed that everything around us

斯多噶學派相信圍繞我們的種種事情

operates according to a web of cause and effect,

依照因果網來運作

resulting in a rational structure of the universe,

得出宇宙的理性結構

which they called logos.

他們稱之為「理」

And while we may not always have control over the events affecting us,

我們未必每次都能控制影響我們的事

we can have control over how we approach things.

而我們能夠控制處理事情的方法

Rather than imagining an ideal society,

斯多噶學派不去想像一個理想的社會

the Stoic tries to deal with the world as it is

而是嘗試處理現實的世界

while pursuing self-improvement through four cardinal virtues:

同時透過四種基本德行 追求自我完善：

practical wisdom,

實踐智慧

the ability to navigate complex situations in a logical, informed, and calm manner;

平靜地按邏輯識見 在複雜處境找出適當的處理方法

temperance,

自我克制

the exercise of self-restraint and moderation in all aspects of life;

節制自己，在生活各方面實踐中道

justice,

正義

treating others with fairness even when they have done wrong;

即使是做錯了事的人，仍然公平待之

and courage,

還有勇氣

not just in extraordinary circumstances,

不只在特別處境

but facing daily challenges with clarity and integrity.

也要明確、正直地面對日常挑戰

As Seneca, one of the most famous Roman Stoics wrote,

塞內卡是其中一位最著名的 斯多噶學派羅馬哲學家，他曾寫道:

"Sometimes, even to live is an act of courage."

「有時，生存也是有勇氣的行為。」

But while Stoicism focuses on personal improvement,

雖然斯多噶主義著重個人修養

it's not a self-centered philosophy.

但是它不是自我中心的哲學

At a time when Roman laws considered slaves as property,

當羅馬律法視奴隸為財產

Seneca called for their humane treatment

塞內卡提倡和爭取人道對待他們

and stressed that we all share the same fundamental humanity.

強調我們全都有相同基本的人性

Nor does Stoicism encourage passivity.

斯多噶主義也不鼓勵消極

The idea is that only people who have cultivated

根據學說，只有修德自制的人

virtue and self-control in themselves can bring positive change in others.

才能為別人帶來正面改變

One of the most famous Stoic writers was also one of Rome's greatest emperors.

其中一位最著名的斯多噶學派作家 同時是其中一位最偉大的羅馬皇帝

Over the course of his 19-year reign,

他在位的 19 年間

Stoicism gave Marcus Aurelius the resolve to lead the Empire through two major wars,

斯多噶主義使馬爾庫斯·奧列里烏斯 決心帶領帝國經歷兩場重要戰爭

while dealing with the loss of many of his children.

同時助他面對失去眾多兒女

Centuries later, Marcus's journals would guide and comfort Nelson Mandela

多個世紀以後，馬爾庫斯的日記 指引和安慰納爾遜·曼德拉

through his 27-year imprisonment

渡過他在南非奮力爭取種族平等時 被囚禁的 27 年

during his struggle for racial equality in South Africa.

After his release and eventual victory, Mandela stressed peace and reconciliation,

他獲釋並取得成功後 曼德拉強調和平與和解

believing that while the injustices of the past couldn't be changed,

相信雖然不能回到過去 改變種種的不公平

his people could confront them in the present

他的人民能於現在處理它們

and seek to build a better, more just future.

並尋求建立一個 更美好、更公平的未來

Stoicism was an active school of philosophy for several centuries

斯多噶主義這哲學學派 於當時的希臘和羅馬活躍數世紀

in Greece and Rome.

As a formal institution, it faded away,

作為正規機構，它已衰落不見

but its influence has continued to this day.

但其影響延續至今

Christian theologians, such as Thomas Aquinas,

基督教的神學家 例如多瑪斯·阿奎納

have admired and adopted its focus on the virtues,

欣賞它重視德行 將之採用於自己的學說中

and there are parallels between Stoic Ataraxia, or tranquility of mind,

「Stoic Ataraxia」 即心靈的安寧

and the Buddhist concept of Nirvana.

和佛家「湼槃」的概念 有很多相似之處

One particularly influential Stoic was the philosopher Epictetus

其中一位特別有影響力的 斯多噶派哲學家是埃皮克提圖

who wrote that suffering stems

寫出苦難的原因

not from the events in our lives, but from our judgements about them.

不在我們生活中的事件 而在我們對它們的看法

This has resonated strongly with modern psychology

這與現代心理學、 自助運動的觀念極其相似

and the self-help movement.

For example, rational emotive behavioral therapy

例如「理性情緒行為療法」

focuses on changing the self-defeating attitudes

集中改變人對於生活狀況的 自我挫敗態度

people form about their life circumstances.

There's also Viktor Frankl's logotherapy.

另有維克多·法蘭可的「意義治療法」

Informed by Frankl's own time as a concentration camp prisoner,

受其被囚禁於集中營的經歷影響

logotherapy is based on the Stoic principle

意義治療法建基於斯多噶派的學理

that we can harness our will power to fill our lives with meaning,

即我們能運用自身意志 來為生活添上意義

even in the bleakest situations.

即使在最暗淡無光的處境