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How did Stoics use reason to deal with passions and physical desires?

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Marble bust of Pythagoras, the ancient Greek mathematician and philosopher, showing a bearded man with a head covering and calm expression. — History of ethics Greek philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras, portrait bust.

In Stoic philosophy, reason serves as the primary tool for managing human experience, as Stoics believe that passions and physical desires should not dictate one's moral judgment. While they acknowledged that physical desires cannot be entirely abolished, they maintained that a wise person must distinguish between the act of wanting something and the judgment that the object of desire is inherently "good".1

By identifying themselves with reason rather than desire, Stoics sought to remain indifferent to whether physical cravings were satisfied, thereby avoiding the distress caused by unmet expectations. They viewed passions—such as fear, pleasure, and pain—as pathē that should be extirpated to achieve a state of apathy, or freedom from emotional disturbance.12

Ultimately, the Stoics argued that the only true good is the pursuit of virtue and wisdom, which are matters of the intellect and remain under an individual's control. By grounding their lives in this universal capacity for reason, they aimed to remain protected from the unpredictable nature of fortune and external circumstances.1