Departmental Research Seminar - Political Love in Stoic Theory

Political Love in Stoic Theory
There is a puzzle in early Stoic philosophy about the erōs of the Sage. Most attempts to clarify this seemingly odd juxtaposition argue that erōs serves a pedagogical function in Zeno's Republic. I reexamine the evidence and argue that the Stoics’ notion of the Sage's erōs constitutes a crucial but underexplored aspect of their political theory. This concept provides a distinctive framework for understanding how the formation and extension of personal attachments foster active benevolence and place educative functions within the realm of social responsibility.