Kate Bowler Challenges Stoicism’s Most Famous Idea

Kate Bowler, a professor of religious history and bestselling author, pushes back on Stoicism’s dichotomy of control. The conversation centers on how the idea of focusing only on what we can control can feel like an added burden for those facing illness, grief, or impossible circumstances. Bowler and Ryan discuss the real limits of personal agency and what it means to find meaningful action without pretending we are in charge of everything. The episode draws on Bowler’s own experience with health crisis and her work on honest conversations about human fragility.