Stoicism does not require numbness

Lowercase “stoic” now means enduring without visible feeling. Ancient Stoicism asks something stranger. Emotions such as panic or rage involve judgements about what is terrible, valuable, or controllable; philosophical practice tests those judgements. The goal is not a blank nervous system. Stoic sources still value affection, joy, caution, and the first involuntary movements of alarm.

Donald Robertson uses Marcus Aurelius to connect this distinction with modern cognitive therapy, but resemblance is not identity and ancient schools disagreed about emotion. As textual correction, the point matters: suppression can leave a judgement untouched while hiding its expression. Stoic work begins by bringing the judgement into view, then asking whether it deserves assent.