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The Art of Living

Four Threats To Our Judgment

Massimo Pigliucci hails the stoicism of a philosopher-emperor.

According to one version of Stoic philosophy, the most important thing in life is to keep a well-functioning faculty of judgment, because everything else follows from it. If I have good judgment, I will make good use of things and events; but if I have bad judgment, I will make bad use of them. For instance, is wealth good or bad? We’re normally inclined to say that it is good, but the Stoics would object that that depends on our use of it. If we acquire wealth justly and we use it for the betterment of humanity, then yes, it’s a good thing. But if we acquire it by exploiting other people, or use it to corrupt public officials so that we can have our way, it’s a bad thing.

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