Welcome from the Scholarch

Have you ever pictured your philosophical journey as an endless rocket ride to the far corners of the universe? A climb up a craggy mountain, only to find more peaks beyond it? A hike into a deep, mysterious forest? Journey metaphors usually involve overcoming obstacles, facing the unknown with courage, seeking truth and wisdom, mastering desires and passions, expanding cultural boundaries, or becoming a better hero, helper, thinker, leader, or self. Stoics pursue much the same goals!

Students come to the College of Stoic Philosophers (CoSP) because they seek something. Some feel drawn by Stoicism’s buzz on social media. Others have spent a lifetime studying other spiritual or intellectual philosophies and want to know more. But many come because CoSP teaches Traditional Stoicism which combines the core doctrines, documents, and worldview of early Hellenistic Stoicism with the better-known works of Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius (https://traditionalstoicism.com/).  Traditional Stoicism treats the three divisions of Stoic philosophy (logic, ethics, and physics/metaphysics) as inseparable, like the shell, white, and yolk of an egg. That is exactly why I began my own journey several years ago with Eric Wiegardt, the College’s founder.

What is a scholarch? In ancient Greece, a scholarch (σχολάρχης, scholarchēs) was the intellectual head of a school. Zeno of Citium, was the first Stoic Scholarch (c. 300 BC). Many scholarchs followed him over the next 200 years, each strengthening Stoicism’s academic foundations, teaching, and learning fellowship. I share those goals. As a modern scholarch, I work to help College faculty and students feel confident and engaged in their study of Traditional Stoicism and find joy in belonging to this vibrant community. We welcome beginners and scholars of every background to study and practice with us.

Feel free to reach out to me anytime via our Contact form.

Kathryn Kuenzi Bucher, FCSP
Interim Scholarch