I haven't been an active member here for a long time. Most of my time off has been spent studying Philosophy and Theology. While getting my masters in Philosophy I have read everyone from Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Spinoza, Descartes, Kant, Sartre and more. Now i am always reading philosophy. Lately I have been studying stoicism and have been reading Zeno, Epictetus, Seneca, and Marcus Aurelius. Often they talk about the need for a philosophy of life and set of virtues that guides you theirs being Wisdom, Courage, Temperance, and Justice. I thought it would be interesting for us to explore the question What is it that drives you and what is it that guides you and why have you chosen that philosophy? Everyone has a philosophy or theology in life even those that say they don't really are following a philosophy ( probably existentialism or nihilism). So Regardless of your religion what philosophy drives you and what is it that guides you and why have you chosen that philosophy?
whoa, utilitarianism totally doesn't mean what I thought it did... its basically collectivism Have a real hard time here. I chose stoicism because I'm more that than anything else. However, I highly value the ideas (or ideals) of individualism (read existentialism), utilitarianism (as a personal resource budget, not an ethic) and rationalism.
