Dutch philosopher Pablo M. Lamberti revitalizes an ancient Stoic truth: philosophy is askēsis—a practice, not just a theory. For the Stoics, thinkers like Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius, philosophy was a spiritual exercise to align one’s life with virtue ethics (wisdom, courage, justice, temperance). Lamberti frames this as existential craftsmanship: daily choices—how we react to setbacks, manage desires, or engage with others—are opportunities to sculpt character. Unlike armchair philosophizing, Stoicism demands prohairesis (volitional commitment) to internalize its principles.

Central to this is the dichotomy of control: distinguishing what’s within your power (judgments, actions) from externals (wealth, reputation, outcomes). By focusing on the former, Stoicism cultivates apatheia (freedom from destructive passions), transforming obstacles into training grounds for resilience. Lamberti highlights Stoic “disciplines”—like morning meditation (premeditatio malorum) to anticipate challenges or nightly journaling to audit moral progress—as tools for self-mastery.

In a modern context, Lamberti positions Stoicism as antidote to existential fragmentation. Consumerism, digital overload, and societal pressures erode autonomy, but Stoic logos (rational order) invites reorientation toward inner sovereignty. It’s not passive resignation but amor fati (love of fate): embracing life’s flux while anchoring in ethical clarity. For Lamberti, this isn’t self-help—it’s eudaimonia (flourishing) through alignment with nature and reason. By living philosophically, we don’t just “do philosophy”; we become it—a project of perpetual becoming, where wisdom is worn like a second skin.