Stoic Determinism and Free Will

14 min readAug 28, 2024

‘How may I become free?’ One is free if all that happens comes about in accordance with their choice and no one else is able to impede them.
‘What, is freedom madness, then?”
Heaven forbid! For freedom and madness are hardly compatible with one another.
‘But I want whatever I wish to happen indeed to happen, regardless of how I arrive at that wish.’
You’re crazy, you’re out of your mind! Don’t you know that freedom is a precious and admirable thing? But for me to desire arbitrarily that things should happen as I arbitrarily decide risks being not merely far from admirable, but even exceedingly reprehensible.
(Epictetus, “Discourses”.)

Let’s start from the end: no, you can’t have free will. Now let’s explain why — and why you feel like you could, but nope, it’s all part of the illusion.

The Stoics nailed this way before us, so let’s borrow their wisdom and make it crystal clear:

1. You’re in a Causal Web — No Escaping It

Everything that happens, including your thoughts and actions, is determined by a chain of causes stretching back infinetely. Your decisions…? They’re just links in that chain. The Stoics said, “Fate is the endless web of cause and effect.” You’re not the master of your destiny; you’re part of the cosmic flow.

2. You Feel Free, But It’s a Trick of the Mind

It feels like you have free will, right? That’s because you’re the proximate cause of your actions. When you choose, it feels like it’s all you, but every choice you make is the product of your past, your character, your experiences — all determined by prior causes. The Stoics knew this and explained that what feels like freedom is just you being the last link in an infinite chain of causes and effects.

3. Freedom Isn’t What You Think

The Stoics redefined freedom. It’s not about escaping causality (you can’t); it’s about aligning with it. True freedom is living according to reason — using your rational mind to make the best decisions within the deterministic structure you’re part of. You’re free when your actions reflect your nature as a rational being, not when they’re uncaused. This does not mean “freedom to do whatever you want”, but only freedom from: freedom from the chains of negative emotions and passions, freedom from wrong judgments that lead to wrong choices and their suffering.

4. Striving Is Still Meaningful

However, the Stoics didn’t say striving is optional; they said it’s necessary. If you think of determinism as a script, your effort, discipline, and virtue are written into the plot. You can’t escape the script by not trying — you just end up playing the role of someone who gives in to vice instead of pursuing virtue. Either way, you’re part of the story, but one path leads to flourishing, and the other leads to misery. The choice is determined, sure, but it’s still yours to make.

Determinism doesn’t mean you sit back and let life happen to you. The Stoics taught that fate includes how you respond to life. Your effort and choices are part of the causal chain that determines the outcome. So yes, the outcome is determined, but it’s determined through your striving, not despite it. If you choose to indulge rather than strive, that’s also determined, but it leads to a different outcome — a life controlled by vice rather than guided by virtue.

Yet, you might think, “But… if it’s all already determined, why bother at all?” Enter Chrysippus with the concept of co-fated events — his knockout punch against the Lazy Argument (an ancient argument that says: “if everything is determined then we should just be lazy and never strive for anything”).

Here’s the deal: Fate doesn’t just dictate the outcome; it also includes the actions that lead to it. If it’s fated that you’ll stay healthy, it’s also fated that you’ll eat well, exercise, sleep enough and avoid danger. These actions and the outcome are co-fated — they go hand-in-hand. You can’t have the result without the effort that gets you there.

The Lazy Argument says, “If it’s fated, I don’t need to make an effort.” Chrysippus replies, “Wrong. Not striving is also part of fate, but it leads to a different outcome — failure.” Your actions are fated to be part of the causal chain that creates the future. Whether you strive or slack off, both paths are co-fated, but they lead to very different places.

So, yeah, fate’s real. But that doesn’t mean you get to sit back. Striving is part of your fate — and it’s what determines whether you end up thriving or just surviving.

Indulging might feel good now, but the Stoics would remind you that short-term pleasure often leads to long-term regret. Virtue and discipline may require effort, but they pay off with lasting peace and satisfaction. The Stoics were all about playing the long game: true happiness isn’t found in fleeting pleasures but in living a life aligned with reason and nature. The determined effort you make today shapes the quality of your life tomorrow.

5. How to Know if Your Fate is a Life or Joy of Suffering

Your daily choices are the clearest indicator of the life you’re building. If you’re a young man wondering where your life is headed, forget about trying to predict the future. Instead, look at your habits and the choices you make every day.

When you’re faced with options, what do you consistently choose — virtue or vice? Are you striving for discipline, wisdom, and self-control, or are you giving in to comfort, anger, dishonesty, indulgence, and short-term pleasure? These choices aren’t just small decisions; they’re co-fated steps shaping your destiny.

Chrysippus nailed it: your future isn’t just determined by some distant fate; it’s being built right now by the choices you make. If you’re leaning toward virtue, you’re setting yourself up for a life of meaning, resilience, and true joy. But if vice is your regular pick, you’re co-fating yourself to a path of regret and misery.

Want to know where your life is going? Don’t look at the stars — look at your habits. The life you end up with is nothing more than the result of what you consistently choose today.

Whether you strive for virtue or give in to vice, you’re fulfilling your fate, but in vastly different ways. The Stoics would argue that the effort to live virtuously is not just a duty but a privilege — it’s what gives life meaning, even in a determined universe.

6. It’s Up to You

Now, let’s be real: do you really have the guts to choose vice over virtue, even now that you know the outcome? You know that choosing vice leads to a life ruled by fleeting pleasures and long-term regret. You know that indulging in every impulse is just letting yourself be controlled by irrational desires, losing your freedom to what’s base and unworthy of your rational nature.

Choosing vice, knowing all this, is a move that only makes sense if you’re willing to sacrifice your true potential for a short-lived thrill. But that’s not strength — that’s surrender. It’s a surrender to what’s easy, to what’s comfortable, and ultimately, to what’s beneath you.

The Stoics would tell you that it’s not just about avoiding vice for the sake of being virtuous. It’s about recognizing that virtue is where true strength, peace, and happiness lie. Choosing virtue isn’t just the rational choice — it’s the only choice if you want a life that’s worth living.

So, ask yourself: will you play the role of someone who lets irrational desires dictate their fate, or will you step up and choose the path of virtue, even knowing it’s determined? Because in the end, embracing virtue isn’t just the wise choice — it’s the choice that affirms your true nature and leads you to the life you were meant to live. Choosing vice over virtue, once you see the cards on the table, isn’t just irrational — it’s a refusal to be the best version of yourself. And that, the Stoics would say, is the real tragedy.

Delving Deeper into Stoic Determinism

Stoics are not compatibilists in the modern sense of reconciling libertarian or Christian free will (freedom from antecedent causes) with determinism. Although textbooks often label them as compatibilists due to their integration of moral responsibility within a deterministic framework, the Stoics’ perspective is distinct. They do not subscribe to the libertarian notion of free will, which implies freedom to act independently of prior causes.

Modern compatibilists argue that free will and determinism are not mutually exclusive — that individuals can possess free will even in a determined universe. They often redefine free will as the ability to act according to one’s desires without external constraints. In contrast, the Stoics were deterministic realists who did not subscribe to the notion of libertarian free will — the idea that humans can act independently of antecedent causes. Instead, they explained how human agency, moral responsibility, and the pursuit of virtue exist within a deterministic framework governed by logos, the rational principle that orders the cosmos.

Logos is central to Stoic philosophy, representing the universal reason or rational structure inherent in the universe. It ensures that all events occur according to a rational and purposeful plan.¹ By aligning ourselves with logos, we live in harmony with the natural order.

Defining Prohairesis: The Core of Stoic Freedom

A key concept in Stoic thought is prohairesis — the capacity for rational choice and moral judgment. Prohairesis is our ability to deliberate, make decisions, and assent to impressions based on sound moral and logical principles.² For the Stoics, true freedom lies not in the absence of causality but in the ability to exercise this rational capacity unimpeded by internal passions or irrational desires.

While external circumstances — such as other people’s actions or natural events — are beyond our control, our prohairesis is entirely “up to us” (eph’ hēmin). Epictetus emphasizes that nothing external can compel us to assent to false judgments or act against our reasoned choices.³ This inner freedom is the essence of our being and cannot be obstructed by external forces.

Freedom Within Determinism

The Stoics asserted that our choices and judgments are part of the universal chain of cause and effect governed by logos.⁴ Our actions are determined by prior causes, including our character, experiences, and the impressions we receive. However, because we possess rationality, we can understand and align ourselves with the natural order.

Chrysippus argued that even though our judgments and decisions are influenced by antecedent causes, they are still “up to us” because they express our rational nature.⁵ Our capacity to assent correctly — to agree with true impressions and reject false ones — is a function of our ability to reason and our disposition toward virtue. These are shaped by prior causes but are also expressions of our rational agency.

The Illusion of Uncaused Action

The Stoics acknowledged that it often feels as if we are free from antecedent causes, but they explained this as an illusion stemming from our limited perspective. We experience ourselves as agents because we are the proximate causes of our actions. However, our agency operates within a larger causal chain.

Seneca illustrates this by comparing fate to a flowing river: “A man’s destiny is determined by necessity, yet he himself is the source of his own actions”.⁶ Our judgments and decisions are fully determined, yet they are our own because they reflect our character and rational nature.

Expanding on Logos

Understanding logos is crucial for comprehending Stoic determinism. Logos is not merely an external force but permeates all aspects of the universe, including human reason. By participating in logos through our rational capacities, we align ourselves with the cosmos’s rational order.⁷

Logos ensures that the universe operates in an orderly and purposeful manner. The Stoics believed that living according to nature meant living in accordance with logos, which is achieved by exercising our prohairesis to make rational and virtuous choices.⁸

In summary, the Stoics redefine freedom not as freedom from causality but as the rational exercise of prohairesis. Even within a deterministic universe, we possess the capacity to act according to reason and virtue, aligning ourselves with the natural order governed by logos. Our judgments and decisions, while determined by prior causes, are expressions of our rational agency and thus are “up to us.”

The Lazy Argument and the Necessity of Action

Despite accepting a deterministic universe, the Stoics assert that striving for virtue remains essential. Aligning ourselves with reason and virtue leads to eudaimonia — the state of flourishing and true happiness⁹. If we neglect the pursuit of virtue, we succumb to irrationality and vice, resulting in personal misery and social discord. The act of striving for virtue is itself determined but harmonizes with our rational nature as human beings.

Understanding and accepting determinism does not lead to fatalism or inaction. Instead, it fosters active engagement with life. By recognizing that our actions are part of a larger rational order governed by logos, we find peace and purpose in focusing on what is within our control — our judgments and actions — while accepting what is not¹⁰. This approach embodies the essence of Stoic tranquility and resilience.

Refuting the Lazy Argument

The Lazy Argument posits that if everything is determined by fate, there is no point in making efforts or decisions since outcomes will occur regardless of our actions. This reasoning suggests that human endeavor is irrelevant, potentially leading to fatalism and apathy¹¹.

Chrysippus, a prominent Stoic philosopher, refuted the Lazy Argument by emphasizing that fate includes both the ends and the means — the outcomes and the actions leading to them¹². He argued that fate is a rational and interconnected chain of causes encompassing human deliberation, effort, and action as necessary components. Our prohairesis — the capacity for rational choice — is how we participate in and contribute to the unfolding of fate.

For example, if it is fated that you will recover from an illness, it is also fated that you will seek medical treatment and follow the advice of physicians. Your rational deliberation and actions are integral to the causal chain leading to recovery¹³. Prohairesis is essential to the causal process, not an exception to it.

Fate as a Rational Sequence of Causes

In Stoic philosophy, fate is the rational and interconnected sequence of causes that governs everything in the universe, including human thoughts, decisions, and actions¹⁴. Fate is not an external force imposing outcomes but the sum of all causal relationships within the cosmos, operating according to logos.

Our prohairesis, like all things, is part of this causal chain. When we receive an impression — an external stimulus or internal thought — we have the capacity to either assent to it (agree that it is true) or withhold assent (reject it as false)¹⁶. This process is where prohairesis operates. While the impression itself arises from external factors, our assent is determined by internal factors: our rational nature, character, past experiences, and current state of mind — all shaped by prior causes.

Assent is not random or arbitrary but reflects the state of one’s prohairesis. If our prohairesis aligns with reason and virtue, we are more likely to assent to true impressions and reject false ones8. This alignment results from a series of causes, such as upbringing, education, and philosophical practice. Thus, while the act of assent is “up to us” in expressing our rational judgment, it is also causally determined by our prior experiences and dispositions.

Prohairesis is both a product of prior causes and an active participant in the causal chain. It determines how we respond to impressions, thereby influencing subsequent events. Our rational capacity allows us to align our judgments with truth and natural good, which is the essence of a free and virtuous life.

Stoic Freedom Within Determinism

The Stoics define freedom not as the absence of causality but as the rational exercise of prohairesis — making decisions in accordance with reason and virtue¹⁷. This freedom is about living in harmony with the natural order rather than attempting to escape it.

Even though our judgments are determined by prior causes, they are still “up to us” (eph’ hēmin) because they express our rational nature¹⁸. When we assent to an impression, we do so because it aligns with our understanding of reason and virtue, themselves shaped by our previous actions and choices. This is how Stoic freedom manifests: in the rational, virtuous exercise of prohairesis within a deterministic framework.

The reconciliation of determinism and freedom hinges on the idea that freedom is the expression of our rational nature through prohairesis. Our rational capacity enables us to live in accordance with nature and achieve virtue — the highest good and the essence of freedom in Stoic philosophy¹⁹.

While we are not free from the causal order, we are free in the sense that we can act rationally within it. Our actions, decisions, and assents are all part of fate’s unfolding, and our prohairesis is the means by which we contribute to and shape our destiny. In this way, the Stoics offer a vision of freedom that is fully compatible with a determined universe, where human agency plays a vital role in the cosmos’s rational order.

By refuting the Lazy Argument and elucidating the nature of fate and prohairesis, the Stoics demonstrate that determinism does not negate the necessity of action or the possibility of freedom. Instead, it situates human rationality and moral responsibility within the fabric of a rational, interconnected universe.

Our freedom lies in the capacity to exercise our prohairesis — to make rational, virtuous choices that align with logos. Even within a deterministic framework, this exercise of rational agency is both meaningful and essential for achieving eudaimonia. The Stoic model encourages active participation in life’s unfolding, fostering resilience, tranquility, and a profound sense of purpose.

Long, A.A. and Sedley, D.N. (1987) The Hellenistic Philosophers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Epictetus (1995) The Handbook (Encheiridion). Translated by N.P. White. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company.
Ibid., pp. 12
Cicero (2006) On Fate. Translated by H. Rackham. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Bobzien, S. (1998) Determinism and Freedom in Stoic Philosophy. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Seneca (2007) Letters from a Stoic. Translated by R. Campbell. London: Penguin Classics.
Marcus Aurelius (2006) Meditations. Translated by M. Hammond. London: Penguin Classics.
Diogenes Laertius (1925) Lives of Eminent Philosophers. Translated by R.D. Hicks. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Annas, J. (1993). The Morality of Happiness. New York: Oxford University Press.
Epictetus (2008). The Discourses and Selected Writings, trans. R. Dobbin. London: Penguin Classics, Enchiridion 1.
Bobzien, S. (1998). Determinism and Freedom in Stoic Philosophy. Oxford: Clarendon Press, p. 217.
Cicero (2006). On Fate, trans. H. Rackham. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 28.
Frede, M. (2011). A Free Will: Origins of the Notion in Ancient Thought. Berkeley: University of California Press, p. 76.
Long, A. A., & Sedley, D. N. (1987). The Hellenistic Philosophers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, p. 334.
Epictetus (2008). The Discourses and Selected Writings, trans. R. Dobbin. London: Penguin Classics, Discourses II.18.
Bonhöffer, A. (1996). The Ethics of the Stoic Epictetus, trans. W. O. Stephens. New York: Peter Lang, p. 48.
Inwood, B. (1985). Ethics and Human Action in Early Stoicism. Oxford: Clarendon Press, p. 172.
Epictetus (2008). The Discourses and Selected Writings, trans. R. Dobbin. London: Penguin Classics, Enchiridion 1.
Diogenes Laertius (1925). Lives of Eminent Philosophers, trans. R. D. Hicks. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, VII.88.