How to Do the Right Thing: An Ancient Guide to Treating People Fairly

· Princeton University Press
Ebook
288
Pages
Eligible
Ratings and reviews aren’t verified  Learn More

About this ebook

How ancient Stoicism can help teach us to treat others—and ourselves—more fairly and mercifully

There are times when we’ve all felt that we haven’t been treated as we deserve—that we’ve been misjudged, shortchanged, or given a raw deal. And, at one time or another, other people have probably felt that we’ve treated them just as unfairly. How to Do the Right Thing draws on the principles of ancient Stoicism as articulated by the Roman statesman and philosopher Seneca to help readers better navigate one of the most important practical questions of daily life—how to do right by others.

Starting from the virtue of magnanimity—the opposite of small-mindedness—How to Do the Right Thing draws together lessons from Seneca’s writings that stress the importance of calm and clear thinking, of judging oneself fairly before judging others, and of cutting people slack, with a bias toward mercy—all delivered in crisp and lively new translations, and with the original Latin on facing pages.

About the author

Robert A. Kaster is professor emeritus of classics and Kennedy Foundation Professor Emeritus of Latin at Princeton University. His books include The Appian Way: Ghost Road, Queen of Roads and (with Martha C. Nussbaum) Seneca: Anger, Mercy, Revenge.

Rate this ebook

Tell us what you think.

Reading information

Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.