Stoicism and Punishment (Episode 89)

“It’s worse to be the thief, than the person who has their things stolen from them”

In this conversation, Michael and Caleb talk about how Stoics think about anger, revenge, and justice.

They cover common philosophical views of punishment – and note where the Stoics would disagree. This topic is important in many areas of our lives. It's about how we handle situations when someone has treated us badly, how we think about guilt, and how we can build just communities.

(00:35) Introduction

(06:55) Common Accounts of Punishment

(15:51) Stoicism and Anger

(25:47) Epictetus on Punishment

(32:26) Responding as a Stoic

(33:56) The Stoic Review of Everyone Else's Take on Punishment

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Thanks to Michael Levy for graciously letting us use his music in the conversations.