Part 11/16:
One of the most intriguing aspects of Stoic thought is its compatibilism—the idea that free will and determinism coexist.
Determinism: Everything unfolds according to divine logos and causal chains—nothing happens by chance.
Moral Responsibility: Despite this reliance on fate, individuals are still accountable for their choices. A person’s inner character—their prohairesis (moral choice)—determines how they respond to life’s events.
Crisippus illustrated this with the analogy of a roller pushed down a slope: although forces outside initiate motion, the inner nature of the roller determines how it behaves. Similarly, our responses are shaped by our inner dispositions, which can change over time through deliberate effort.