The Consciousness of Present Time: An Approach to Practical Philosophy in Seneca
This paper presents an ethical approach to the notion of time (tempus) posed by Seneca in On the brevity of life (Ad Paulinum de brevitate vitae) and in some Moral Letters to Lucilius (Epistulae Morales ad Lucilium) to show how this concept has a direct impact Seneca’s good life, that is, a virtuous life. The text is divided into three sections: The first one reflects around time from the physical perspective posed by the first Stoa philosophers, which conceives time as one of the four incorporeals; in the second section, the notion of time is addressed in the light of the Seneca’s reflections, in which the present time in particular acquires special relevance because it is considered the time in which human actions are possible; in section three, we establish a connection between the ethical notion of time and the possibility that a vital transformation is possible by leading a virtuous life through certain ascetic practices.