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Autumn is set to be a bumper season for competing philosophies.

At the bottom end is Brexit, with a unifying theory of “taking back control” of the UK’s laws and borders. At the top is October’s Stoic Week, which encourages people to live by the beliefs of the Stoic philosophers for seven days — namely that unhappiness is caused by trying to control events we have little say in; the only thing we can control is our thinking.

So plenty of food for thought to be had (unless the supply chains break down). If you’d like to start stockpiling your Stoic fortitude, Dr John Sellars, a lecturer in philosophy at Royal Holloway, has handily written Lessons In Stoicism: What Ancient Philosophers Teach Us About How To Live, to be published next month.

For beginners, this is helpful. Note that the school, which began in Greece, is pronounced stow-ick, not s-toy-k, a water bird from downtown Noo Yawk.

The proximity of the publication date to B-day is probably a coincidence, but it is provident. If you know your Seneca from your Epictetus and have doubts about this line of thinking, remember that this country has had enough of experts, and consider this a preferred indifferent. If not, read on.

Loose change you can believe in

Material wealth isn’t necessarily bad, it’s “value neutral”, as it can be used for good and bad ends. “We all pursue material prosperity as it helps secure our survival,” says Dr Sellars, channelling the Grecian Zeno, below.

Standing in the way of control

There are few things we can actually master, so stick to tending your Stoic soul. Of this, Dr Sellars says “we ought not to assume anything immaterial, immortal or supernatural”, and instead “understand it simply as mind, thoughts and beliefs”. For Stoics, being “virtuous” means to be wise, just, courageous and moderate. “If humans are by nature social animals,” says Dr Sellars, “then a good human being will be one that behaves sociably.”

Emotional animals

Emotions are natural, but they’re a three-stage process we can control. “Anger is the product of a judgment made in the mind,” says Dr Sellars.

The first movement in an emotion is involuntary; the second is a judgmental reaction to that emotion within your control; and any further action is to lose control.

A Stoic questions their own judgment, and knows when to button it.