COVID-19 AND DEATH: STOIC PHILOSOPHY AS A FORTRESS IN A TIME OF PANDEMIC

  • Felix Gabriel Zombobah
Keywords: COVID-19, Human Death, Stoic, Philosophy, Pandemic, Time. Fortress

Abstract

This paper has studied the Stoic philosophy within the context of its being a fortress in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. It observed that one of the leading ethical theories is utilitarianism, which states that moral decisions and actions should be made on the basis of their consequences. Sneeze, cough, fever, shortness of breath, fear of being hospitalized has brought so much anxiety around Covid-19 outbreak that you too may be the next infected person. In balancing risk, you are anticipating likely consequences, which is a very utilitarian thing to do. However, this paper argued that humanity need to be careful, because the real test of our character is how we behave in tough times. What we can control, as always, is how we respond. What matters is not what other people are doing or have done, but what we do. Ultimately we are all responsible for our behaviours and actions. This paper discovered that Stoicism offers a great kit for moments like this with its teaching on the need to remain calm in the face of chaos, and to put aside irrational thoughts and develop a plan to keep us moving forward. To be able to spread the only positive form of contagion, there is calm, considered response and not a knee jerk reaction. For the purpose of this paper, the hermeneutic and critical methods of inquiry were employed.

Published
2020-09-16
Section
Articles