Philosophic Pride: Stoicism and Political Thought from Lipsius to Rousseau

Philosophic Pride is a book that explores the influence of Stoicism on modern political thought, focusing on the period from 1589 to 1762. It examines how political writers of the time engaged with the ideas of the Roman and Greek Stoics and considers the tension between Stoicism and the tradition of Augustinian anti-Stoic criticism. The book offers new interpretations of key texts and sheds light on the role of Stoicism in shaping early modern political philosophy.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 29 November 2022
Publisher: Princeton University Press

Philosophic Pride is a comprehensive exploration of the central significance of Stoicism in the foundations of modern political thought. Spanning the period from Justus Lipsius' Politics in 1589 to Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Emile in 1762, the book focuses on arguments originating from England, France, and the Netherlands. It examines how political writers of the time engaged with the ideas of the Roman and Greek Stoics, as found in works by Cicero, Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius.

Christopher Brooke delves into the historical context of key texts, paying particular attention to the history of classical scholarship and the historiography of philosophy. He explores the persistent tension between Stoicism and the tradition of Augustinian anti-Stoic criticism, which held Stoicism to be a philosophy for the proud who denied their fallen condition.

Philosophic Pride details how the engagement with Roman Stoicism shaped early modern political philosophy and offers significant new interpretations of Lipsius and Rousseau, as well as fresh perspectives on the political thought of Hugo Grotius and Thomas Hobbes.

The book demonstrates how the legacy of the Stoics played a vital role in European intellectual life in the early modern era.

Dimension: 235 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780691242156