STOIC NATURALISM, RATIONALISM, AND ECOLOGY

Cheney's claim that there is a subtextual affinity between ancient Sto icism and deep ecology is historically unfounded, conceptually unsuppo rted, and misguided from a scholarly viewpoint. His criticisms of Stoi c thought are thus merely ad hominem diatribe. A proper examination of the central ideas of Stoic ethics reveals the coherence and insightfu lness of Stoic naturalism and rationalism. While not providing the bas is for a contemporary environmental ethic, Stoicism, nonetheless, cont ains some very fruitful ethical concepts.