Guest Author - J.L. Wells

Fate has been defined many ways through out history. In a fragment of his work De Fato (On Fate) Marcus Tullius Cicero defines fate thus “fate is the interconnection of events that alternates continuously throughout eternity, varying in conformity with a law of its own and an order of its own, yet in such a manner that this variation is itself eternal.” While Cicero died more then two thousand years ago his definition is strikingly modern. Elsewhere in this same work Cicero outlines the argument of the stoic Chrysippus against the idea of fate causing all things to happen.

The basis of the case of Chrysippus, as outlined by Cicero, against necessity, the force of fate that drives events, began by drawing a distinction between two types of causality. The first type of causality is termed perfect and principle. This means that this type of causality would be the cause of all effects. The second was termed auxiliary and proximate, i.e. a cause that is not wholly responsible for all effects. Chrysippus then argued that the causality of necessity belonged to the second category. With necessity not being a complete cause room is left for what the stoics termed assent.

Assent, to the stoics, is the function of the will. It is the ability inherent in each person to assert control over the elements of existence not within the causality of necessity. This means that there is an area within existence not controlled by necessity. This area is the rational soul or psyche. This function of the psyche was described by Chrysippus in metaphor. It is the causality of necessity that sets the top of the rational soul spinning, but it is the nature of the top[rational soul] that keeps it spinning. Thus while the psyche reacts, in some cases, to the outside world the way in which it reacts is completely up to the psyche. This is were stoic freedom exists. One may be exiled, to use a term stoics were fond of due to so many of them suffering this fate being unable to tolerate foolish emperors, but one can choose to go happily, tearfully or not at all.

This brings us into the heart of stoic philosophy. Only virtue is good and all virtues are equal as all vice is equally wrong. It is the way that one reacts to circumstances that determines virtue and vice. Thus virtue is found in the ability of the rational mind to operate outside of the necessity of fate. Therefore only one who knows and uses the will of the rational soul can be operating outside of necessity, giving the reason behind the stoic comment that only the wise can be free.