Latest news with #ZenoOfCitium
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Telegraph
Violent prisoners taught philosophy
Prisoners have been taught the philosophy of stoicism under schemes that have reduced violence and conflict behind bars. Watchdogs at Wayland Prison in Thetford, Norfolk, have revealed the inmates have been undergoing classes based on the works of Socrates and Zeno of Citium. The theories behind stoicism were developed by Socrates, the Greek philosopher, while Zeno is credited with having developed the concept and founded the stoic school of philosophy, which he taught in Athens from about 300 BC. Stoicism, which was taken on by the Romans, teaches individuals to focus on what they can control – their thoughts and actions – and to accept what they cannot, such as external events and outcomes. Stoics strive to develop virtues such as wisdom, courage, justice and temperance to achieve a life of tranquillity and virtue. The classes at the category C prison are said by its watchdog, independent monitoring board (IMB), to have been so popular that they have been scheduled throughout the year to meet demand. The IMB said the innovative approach was proving an effective remedy to combat drug use at the jail and contributing to a decline in the amount of violence. Data published by the watchdogs showed that assaults on staff and other prisoners had decreased. 'It is this sort of effort, which distances itself from both punitive and simply educative approaches and, instead, seeks to increase a prisoner's inner resilience, which we would encourage and were recommending in our commentary on the 2024 prisoner attitude survey,' said the watchdogs. 'We therefore recommend to the governor that the prison takes the success of this course and examines how additional resilience and prevention training could be introduced as an expanded weapon in its war on the evils of drugs and the rehabilitation chances of its prisoners.' The move follows research by Manchester Met University into the impact of regular sessions on Descartes, Aristotle, Plato and other thinkers on prisoner's ability to trust and cooperate with other inmates, including some of the most dangerous Category A prisoners. Dr Kirstine Szifris, a researcher in the Institute of Criminology at the University of Cambridge, said the initial interactions were characterised by 'bravado, one-upmanship and competition' with the men not having any respect for any of their criminal counterparts. She led the prisoners through a series of philosophical problems to illustrate ideas such as Plato's ideal society, the Stoic philosophy of the Greeks and Romans, and the Socratic method of inquiry. One scenario led them to imagine they were shipwrecked on a desert island with other survivors and asked how they would organise their new society. She found that through an emphasis on philosophical conversation, the inmates began to appreciate the importance of listening to each other. 'They learned that working together to understand what Kant, Descartes or Plato were saying was more fruitful than trying to outdo each other,' she said.
Daily Mail
06-07-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Violence plummets in men's prison - after inmates were taught about ancient Greek philosophy of Stoicism
Violence at a jail has plummeted after inmates were given lessons in the ancient Greek philosophy of Stoicism. Inmates at HMP Wayland, Norfolk, were taught how to live virtuous, peaceful lives based on resilience, rational thinking and self-discipline. Since the classes were rolled out, physical attacks on staff and other prisoners have reduced drastically – turning Wayland into one of the least-violent prisons in the country. Inspectors from the Independent Monitoring Board praised the 'innovative' effort to help prisoners find their 'inner resilience'. 'Staff [led] a course heavily influenced by the Greek philosophy of Stoicism,' their report said. 'Voluntary courses are well-attended and well-received and, due to demand, are almost continuously scheduled now. 'This sort of effort distances [the prison] from punitive and simply educative approaches and, instead, seeks to increase a prisoner's inner resilience. 'The governor's approach has significantly reduced the level of violence against other prisoners and against staff to one of the lowest amongst comparable prisons in the country.' Stoicism, founded by Zeno of Citium more than 2,300 years ago, centres on four cardinal virtues – prudence, fortitude, temperance and justice – that help followers lead a 'well-lived life'. Stoics believe we should only concern ourselves with things within our control and accept what we cannot control, like other people's behaviour or external events. They argue that emotions like anger or envy are not triggered by actual events but by our interpretations of them, so if we can change our thinking, we can master our emotions. Modern Stoicism often means using daily reflection, journaling, or mindfulness to keep perspective, remain calm under pressure, and make ethical choices. Famous Stoic thinkers have included Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, Roman statesman Seneca the Younger and Greek philosopher Epictetus. One prison worker said the courses at HMP Wayland, a category-C jail with 900 inmates, said the courses were a 'great idea'. 'Prisoners are known to enjoy a bit of philosophy,' he said. 'The philosophy section of the library is among the most popular. 'These courses appear to have helped replace violence with peace and harmony.' A Prison Service spokesperson said: 'Education helps reduce prison violence and encourages offenders to turn their backs on a life of crime.' Prisoners can choose from dozens of educational courses to help them leave their lives of crime behind. The Prisoners' Education Trust currently offers qualifications in 130 subjects including yachting, yoga, beekeeping and feline studies.
