Cynic Origins of the Stoic Doctrine of Natural Law?

Abstract

In this paper, I argue that the origins of the Stoic notion of natural law had an antecedent in Cynicism, which was closely linked to early Stoicism: the school founder Zeno of Citium wrote the work that made him famous in Cynic fashion, his immediate followers would also endorse Cynic doctrines. For the Stoics, humans can develop an awareness of the 'common law' as the rational force in nature that shapes everything in it; virtue consists in living in accordance with that law. In stark contrast to later 'Roman' Stoics, or thinkers influenced by them, like Cicero, who would use the notion of natural law to justify conventions, such as respect for private property, the early Stoics, following the Cynics, were willing to overturn conventional norms by appealing to nature. In addition to this anti-conventionalist strand, I suggest that the Cynics also advanced the doctrine further developed by the early Stoics that perfect humans would live in an ideal community governed by the common or natural law.