For Seneca and the Stoics, death is not something to be feared or ignored, but to be calmly embraced with resolve. The contemplation of death puts our lives into perspective, reminding us of what is truly valuable and freeing us from anxiety. Seneca insists that acceptance of mortality is the cornerstone of inner freedom, enabling

“When the laws cause more harm than good, we the people are obliged to speak up and remind the Government that they are our ministers. In a democracy that esteems and upholds human dignity we must remember who we are: the true north strong and free.” Debates regarding assisted dying and state responsibility in Canada

“We should prepare for death even before we prepare for life.” – Lucius Annaeus Seneca Of all the philosophical schools to have emerged from the days of old, Stoicism carries the brightest torch when it comes to preparing for death. Furthermore, among all the Stoics who have ever lived, myself included, Seneca probably wrote the

“The wise man will live as long as he ought, not as long as he can… He always reflects concerning the quality, and not the quantity, of his life.” — Lucius Annaeus Seneca While Stoic philosophy invites us to confront mortality with clarity and equanimity, modern psychology helps explain why many people cling to lives

The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli “Without a shadow of doubt or a cloud of uncertainty, I’ve created enough diverse content to throw you off my scent. No footprints remain around the entrance of my cave. Neither the snake nor the dragon entered my lair; I live as one who has no worldly care.”

“The history of the conscience is essentially a journey from an ‘inner witness’ that nags you after you’ve done something wrong, to an ‘inner guide’ that tells you what to do before you act, to an ‘inner weapon’ that subdues instincts and manipulates behavior.” Nietzsche’s aphorism in The Gay Science (§335) dismantles one of our