
The Academic Imperfectionist #105: Professor John Sellars on how to live like a Stoic
Mar 7, 2025
Professor John Sellars, an ancient philosophy scholar and co-founder of Modern Stoicism, discusses Stoic Week and practical Stoic practices. He explains judgments and control, Epictetus and Marcus on freedom and perspective, and how short immersions vs lifelong habits affect resilience. Expect talk of journaling, reading, and resisting superficial pop-Stoic tips.
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Therapy Meets Virtue Ethics
- Stoicism blends psychotherapeutic techniques with a robust virtue-ethics framework.
- Its goal is both emotional regulation and developing character for the common good.
Pause Before You Post
- Slow down and create cognitive distance before reacting to stimuli, especially online.
- Pause to assess value judgments instead of immediate emotional posting or replies.
Epictetus' Freedom Example
- Epictetus was a former slave who emphasised inner freedom through control of judgments.
- His lived experience underpins Stoic advice about what truly remains within our power.






