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Why did Stoics believe that all human beings were equal in an important sense?
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History of ethics
Greek philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras, portrait bust.
The Stoics believed that all human beings are equal because they share a common capacity for reason. This shared rational nature, which they identified as a divine principle or logos, transcends external circumstances such as social status, citizenship, or the accident of birth.1234
Because all individuals possess this capacity for reason, the Stoics argued that all people are fellow citizens of a single, universal community—the cosmos. This conviction led to several key ethical implications:135
- Universal Moral Law: Since all humans are capable of appreciating reason, they are subject to a universal natural law, which provides a foundation for morality that rejects ethical relativism.12
- Cosmopolitanism: Stoics viewed themselves as "citizens of the world," prioritizing their membership in the global community of rational beings over local or national affiliations.35
- Inherent Worth: This philosophy emphasized the essential worth of the individual, leading later Stoics to advocate for kindness toward all, including slaves and defeated enemies, as they recognized others as kinsmen by nature.35
Ultimately, the Stoics taught that the pursuit of virtue and wisdom is open to everyone, regardless of their station in life.12