Disagreeing With Stoic Absolutism

[DISCLAIMER]

As Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is informed by Stoic philosophy, this blog entry is part of an ongoing series regarding a book entitled The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman.

The more I read the authors, the more their content doesn’t appeal to me. For this, I’m grateful, because I never would’ve know how fundamentally flawed much of their views on life were without reading their outlook. In any event, they quote Marcus Aurelius who stated (page 291):

Remember that your ruling reason becomes unconquerable when it rallies and relies on itself, so that it won’t do anything contrary to its own will, even if its position is irrational.

How much more unconquerable if its judgments are careful and made rationally? Therefore, the mind freed from passions is an impenetrable fortress—a person has no more secure place of refuge for all time.

If I read The Daily Stoic with little more than a point of reference in ignorance (lacking knowledge, education, or awareness), then I’d likely gobble up material from both ancient and modern Stoics much as I did in childhood when uncritically reading the Bible.

However, I’m not a kid anymore. I’m an adult with a functioning mind. Ergo, when reading Aurelius’s perspective – while completely foregoing commentary on anything the authors stated about it, I recognize absolutism, which the American Psychological Association thusly defines:

[T]he philosophical position that there are absolute ethical, aesthetic, or epistemological values. Phenomena are believed to have a fixed reality; thus, what is regarded as true in one circumstance will be regarded as true in all others as well.

For example, a particular action will always be deemed immoral regardless of its outcome or any other individual or subjective consideration. Such a position involves a rejection (in whole or in part) of relativism.

Aurelius proposed that “ruling reason becomes unconquerable,” which I view as an absolute claim. He further engaged in absolutistic hyperbole by stating that “the mind freed from passions is an impenetrable fortress.” Fallible human beings simply do not function in such a manner.

Thus, it’s for this reason that I’ve also begun reading less of the work from the late psychologist Albert Ellis who developed REBT, and more from psychologist Windy Dryden who has modified this psychotherapeutic modality. The former relied a little too much on Stoicism.

Don’t get me wrong. I continue to consider myself an amateur Stoic, and I value the incorporation of Stoicism into REBT. I also intend on completing my assessment of The Daily Stoic—if for nothing more than to laugh at how absurd I view contributions by the authors.

Still, disagreeing with Stoic absolutism is a matter of pragmatism (marked by the doctrines that the meaning of conceptions is to be sought in their practical bearings, that the function of thought is to guide action, and that truth is preeminently to be tested by the practical consequences of belief).

If, like me, you’re relatively new to Stoicism, then I invite you not to be afraid when disagreeing with Stoic absolutism. Your mind will likely never be “unconquerable” or “impenetrable.” Yet, you can pragmatically practice REBT and Stoic principles from an imperfect point of view.

If you’re looking for a provider who tries to work to help understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life—helping you to sharpen your critical thinking skills, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.

As a psychotherapist, I’m pleased to try to help people with an assortment of issues ranging from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.

At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply trying to help you to feel better, I want to try to help you get better!

Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW

Photo credit, Designed by Magnific, fair use

References:

AEI. (n.d.). About Albert Ellis, Ph.D. Albert Ellis Institute. Retrieved from https://albertellis.org/about-albert-ellis-phd/

APA Dictionary of Psychology. (2018, April 19). Absolutism. American Psychological Association. Retrieved from https://dictionary.apa.org/absolutism

APA Dictionary of Psychology. (2018, April 19). Relativism. American Psychological Association. Retrieved from https://dictionary.apa.org/relativism

Daily Stoic. (n.d.). Translating the Stoics: An interview with “The Daily Stoic” co-author Stephen Hanselman. Retrieved from https://dailystoic.com/stephen-hanselman-interview/

Dryden, W. (n.d.). Professor Windy Dryden: Therapist, trainer & supervisor, academic & writer [Official website]. WindyDryden.com. Retrieved from https://www.windydryden.com/about

Holiday, R. and Hanselman, S. (2016). The daily stoic: 366 meditations on wisdom, perseverance, and the art of living. Penguin Random House LLC. Retrieved from https://www.pdfdrive.com/the-daily-stoic-366-meditations-on-wisdom-perseverance-and-the-art-of-living-d61378067.html

Hollings, D. (2024, May 7). Are immoral people capable of rational thinking? Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/are-immoral-people-capable-of-rational-thinking

Hollings, D. (2024, November 24). Automatic thoughts and beliefs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/automatic-thoughts-and-beliefs

Hollings, D. (2026, March 3). Blowback and knock-on effects: Subjectivity of beliefs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/blowback-and-knock-on-effects-subjectivity-of-beliefs

Hollings, D. (2024, March 19). Consequences. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/consequences

Hollings, D. (2024, November 4). Critical thinking. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/critical-thinking

Hollings, D. (2022, March 15). Disclaimer. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/disclaimer

Hollings, D. (2023, September 8). Fair use. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/fair-use

Hollings, D. (2024, May 11). Fallible human being. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/fallible-human-being

Hollings, D. (2024, May 17). Feeling better vs. getting better. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/feeling-better-vs-getting-better-1

Hollings, D. (2025, April 5). Freeing yourself through education. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/freeing-yourself-through-education

Hollings, D. (2023, October 12). Get better. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/get-better

Hollings, D. (2026, April 24). Gratitude: Awu wemadoda. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/gratitude-awu-wemadoda

Hollings, D. (n.d.). Hollings Therapy, LLC [Official website]. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/

Hollings, D. (2025, January 26). Ignorance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/ignorance

Hollings, D. (2025, April 23). Judgment. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/judgment

Hollings, D. (2025, October 13). Knowledge, wisdom, understanding. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/knowledge-wisdom-understanding

Hollings, D. (2025, January 14). Level of functioning and quality of life. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/level-of-functioning-and-quality-of-life

Hollings, D. (2023, September 19). Life coaching. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/life-coaching

Hollings, D. (2026, March 7). Mind, body, and soul. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/mind-body-soul

Hollings, D. (2023, October 2). Morals and ethics. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/morals-and-ethics

Hollings, D. (2024, May 30). Nobody’s perfect. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/nobody-s-perfect

Hollings, D. (2026, April 4). Objective reality. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/objective-reality

Hollings, D. (2025, July 13). On passion. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/on-passion

Hollings, D. (2023, April 24). On truth. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/on-truth

Hollings, D. (2025, April 9). Perception, action, and will. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/perception-action-and-will

Hollings, D. (2024, May 26). Principles. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/principles

Hollings, D. (2023, September 15). Psychotherapeutic modalities. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/psychotherapeutic-modalities

Hollings, D. (2024, May 5). Psychotherapist. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/psychotherapist

Hollings, D. (2022, March 24). Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT). Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/rational-emotive-behavior-therapy-rebt

Hollings, D. (2025, August 13). Rational versus irrational thoughts and beliefs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/rational-versus-irrational-thoughts-and-beliefs

Hollings, D. (2024, January 1). Rational vs. irrational. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/rational-vs-irrational

Hollings, D. (2026, February 16). Reasoned choice: Someone there is dying. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/reasoned-choice-someone-there-is-dying

Hollings, D. (2025, October 9). Self-awareness, self-examination, and self-determination. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/self-awareness-self-examination-and-self-determination

Hollings, D. (2024, April 21). Stoicism. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/stoicism

Hollings, D. (2025, October 22). The construct. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-construct

Hollings, D. (2025, February 28). To try is my goal. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/to-try-is-my-goal

Hollings, D. (2025, February 9). Value. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/value

Hollings, D. (2024, November 24). Values. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/values

Idea24rich. (n.d.). Contemplative Greek statue a golden antiquitys gaze on a wooden tablet [Image]. Magnific. Retrieved from https://www.magnific.com/premium-photo/contemplative-greek-statue-golden-antiquitys-gaze-wooden-tablet_228392248.htm#from_element=cross_selling__photo

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Marcus Aurelius. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Aurelius

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Ryan Holiday. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_Holiday