How to Live: A Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at an Answer

Every one of us often faces difficulties and troubles, just as the ancient Roman philosophers Epictetus, Seneca, and Marcus Aurelius did. Their reflections on how to deal with life’s problems became especially popular in the 21st century. What value do Stoic texts contain? How did Stoic philosophy arise, and how does it relate to the ancient scientific picture of the world? Why can’t a true Stoic exist outside society? How can we combine inner freedom with the inevitability of cause-and-effect? These questions are answered by the English philosopher John Sellars.

Just as a commander entrusts complex missions to his most reliable soldiers, fate throws serious challenges at the most worthy people. The hardships endured become a defining feature of virtue.

If we don’t reflect on the most important questions, then the length of life loses its meaning. Even if you live a thousand years, most of that time will be wasted.