Stoicism: Philosophy as a Way of Life Podcast Five Practical Ideas from Socrates
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Mar 12, 2026 A dive into Socratic practices for everyday life. Short exercises contrast justice and injustice to sharpen thinking. Techniques for reframing events and distancing thoughts to ease strong emotions. Practical tools like quotation framing and third-person self-talk to boost wise reasoning. A look at anger, injustice, and how to assess what truly harms you.
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Use A Two Column Socratic Exercise
- Practice the Socratic two-column exercise to test moral rules.
- List examples of injustice then imagine situations where they might count as justice, e.g., a general seizing enemy weapons or a father concealing medicine.
Change Perspectives To Change Emotions
- Distinguish events from your opinions to change emotional responses.
- Socrates anticipated cognitive therapy: imagining alternative perspectives turns catastrophes into temporary setbacks or opportunities.
Practice Cognitive Distancing Daily
- Separate thoughts from reality using cognitive distancing techniques.
- Write thoughts down, prefix with "I notice I'm having the thought", or imagine words painted on a wall to reduce emotional intensity and enable alternatives.
