The stoic notion of friendship

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to examine the Stoic notion of friendship. First, we will examine everyday and common understanding of friendship, and afterwards we will examine philosophical understanding of ideal friendship that influenced Stoics thought. Plato?s and Aristotle?s notion of friendship is of great importance to the Stoics. The Stoics, faced with a number of challenges, such as the problem of self-sufficiency outlined in Plato?s Lysis, developed a normative ideal of friendship. That ideal, as we will demonstrate, could also be developed under the influence of everyday political friendships.