Logos
Stoicism · conceptThe rational principle that pervades and orders the universe in Stoic philosophy. Living according to nature means living in accordance with the logos. Heraclitus first articulated logos as the ordering principle of the cosmos; the Stoics adopted it as the rational force governing all existence, aligning individual reason with universal order.
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What Are the Key Facts About Logos?
- Tradition: Stoicism
- Category: Concept
- Definition: The rational principle that pervades and orders the universe in Stoic philosophy.
What Concepts Are Related to Logos?
Stoic VirtueFrequently Asked Questions About Logos
What is logos in Stoicism?
Logos ('reason,' 'word') is the rational, ordering principle pervading the cosmos. Stoics held the universe is a rational, living whole governed by logos, identical with divine reason, and present as reason in humans.
Where does the idea come from?
The term derives from Heraclitus' 'logos' (the divine rational structure of the cosmos) and was adopted by Stoics to mean the immanent rational law of nature.
How does logos relate to human reason?
Human reason (logos) is a fragment of the cosmic logos; living 'according to nature' means living by reason — aligning one's will with the universal rational order.
Is Stoic logos like the Christian Logos?
The later Christian 'Logos' (John's Gospel) draws on this Greek/Stoic usage, but Stoic logos is impersonal cosmic reason, not a personal incarnate figure.