Stoicism Definition of Terms

The following are the most commonly used terms and their definitions in Stoicism.

good, bad and indifferent – The Stoics define virtues as good and vices as bad. They came from our choices and are within our control. Anything external and outside our control is indifferent and is neither good nor bad.

Preferred indifferent – Anything external that we desire to have such as wealth, fame, and power. They are neither good nor bad.

Fortune – or Fortuna is a goddess in Ancient Rome that controls the fate of humans. Fortuna can shower humans with insane wealth or throw them into a hell of suffering. Because of the fleeting nature of external things such as wealth, fame, and power, the stoics have repeatedly advised us that the only source of everlasting happiness(one that cannot be taken by the gods) is our state of mind and by practicing virtues – all within our control.