Episode 88 – Montaigne: The Stoic Skeptic

This episode explores the complex philosophical landscape of Michel de Montaigne, framing him as a figure who grappled with the tension between the absolute moral certainty of Roman Stoicism and the intellectual humility of Skepticism. Montaigne, the inventor of the essay, used his writing to document this internal struggle, drawing heavily from Stoic thinkers like Seneca and Epictetus while simultaneously questioning their dogmatic claims. He was deeply attracted to the Stoic ideal of the unshakable inner fortress and the pursuit of virtue as the highest good. However, his own experience and skeptical outlook led him to doubt whether such a perfect, consistent state of virtue was truly attainable for a flawed human being.

The episode details how Montaigne tested Stoic ideas against the messy realities of life, from political turmoil in 16th-century France to his personal experiences with pain and the fear of death. For instance, he examined the Stoic argument that a wise person can endure torture without losing their happiness, a claim he found both admirable and perhaps inhumanly difficult. He used the Stoic method of self-scrutiny not to arrive at final truths, but to explore the contradictions and inconsistencies of his own mind, famously asking, "What do I know?". This approach reflects the Skeptics' practice of withholding final judgment (epoché).

Montaigne's work represents a unique synthesis, where he adopts the practical tools and ethical ambitions of the Stoics but filters them through a skeptical lens that values honesty about one's own limitations. He ultimately carved out a more personal, less systematic philosophy that prioritized self-awareness and acceptance of human imperfection, making him a crucial bridge figure in translating ancient philosophy into a modern, introspective form.