The theory that everything is fated and happens in accordance with an unbroken chain of causation.
In other words, the idea that everything that occurs has a prior cause and as such must occur.
The Stoics were determinists because they were materialists.
They believed that only material bodies exist, and these material bodies follow immutable physical laws.
Even our souls or minds are material and so even our decisions are subject to determinism.
Fundamentally, there is no randomness or chance in the universe.
Book: Essential Stoic Concepts
Subtitle: A Stoic glossary
Author: Stoa
Chapter: Determinism
Location: Chapter 6, Section 2
Content:
The theory that everything is fated and happens in accordance with an unbroken chain of causation.
In other words, the idea that everything that occurs has a prior cause and as such must occur.
The Stoics were determinists because they were materialists.
They believed that only material bodies exist, and these material bodies follow immutable physical laws.
Even our souls or minds are material and so even our decisions are subject to determinism.
Fundamentally, there is no randomness or chance in the universe.