Will the Philosopher Prosecute Anyone for Personal Injury?

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter in a book

Abstract

Yale's recent republication of the Discourses of the Roman Stoic Musonius Rufus has made them cheaply available for Modern Stoic practitioners. One of these discourses has the same title as this chapter, and argues that a Stoic philosopher should not 'prosecute anyone for personal injury'. I first explain just what this actually means in Roman law, showing that the interpersonal wrongs and politics of the Roman procedure are different than those for 'personal injury' suits in England or America today. I then argue that Musonius is, in any event, incorrect: a Stoic practitioner sometimes had good reason to prosecute for this offence at Rome, and Stoic ethics give a modern Stoic practitioner good reason to prosecute for analogous wrongs.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationBrill's Companion to Musonius Rufus
EditorsJohn Sellars, Liz Gloyn
PublisherBrill Academic Publishers
Publication statusAccepted/In press - 2022

Keywords

  • personal injury
  • law
  • ancient philosophy
  • Stoicism
  • Stoic
  • Musonius Rufus
  • Rome
  • practical ethics

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Will the Philosopher Prosecute Anyone for Personal Injury?'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this