Beyond the Individual

“Beyond the Individual is a challenging but accessible study which stresses the importance of the idea of the collective or whole in Stoic thought rather than that of unique individual personality. The book combines a wide-ranging study of Stoic ideas with suggestive readings of salient writings (including those of Epictetus, Hierocles, and Musonius) and will interest readers looking for life-guidance as well as more specialist scholars.”


—Christopher Gill, author of Naturalistic Psychology in Galen and Stoicism





“Modern Stoicism has become individualistic and sometimes devolves into an egoistic search for resilience against a harsh world. Will Johncock shows in this important counterweight in the growing Stoic literature that the ancient Stoics were, as Seneca says, the most sociable of the ancient philosophers, recommending that we prioritize our interconnectedness with others in order to live well ourselves, given the kinds of rational social creatures who we are.”


—Matthew Sharpe, author of The Other Enlightenment: Self-estrangement, Race, and Gender





“Stoicism is not, and has never been, a philosophy of self-help hacks. Stoicism is the art of living a life worthy of being lived. If you wish to learn how to paint your own journey to true happiness, Will Johncock’s Beyond the Individual is an important addition to your bookshelf.”


—Kai Whiting, co-author of Being Better: Stoicism for a World Worth Living In





“Well-grounded in study of the ancient Stoic texts and thinkers, as well as recent academic and popular literature, this book provides persuasive reinterpretations of central Stoic themes, fleshing out their implications and significance for our contemporary settings. Johncock engages the reader with thought-provoking analyses of individuals and communities, rationality and freedom, materialism and metaphysics, cosmopolitanism and care for self and others, and the nature of genuine happiness.”


—Gregory Sadler, editor of Stoicism Today