Seneca: Hence it is that we call some regions wet or…

Seneca's medical theory about bodily elements is outdated, but his practical insight survives: our physical state affects our mental state. We are not disembodied minds making perfect choices regardless of sleep, food, illness, hormones, pain, or stress. That is not an excuse to indulge every mood. It is a reason to become more observant and less self-righteous. Notice how different a disagreement feels when you are exhausted, hungry, or already overloaded. Notice how quickly patience returns after rest, movement, or a real meal. We make bad moral stories about ourselves and others when we ignore these basics. Today, check the body before you judge the mind. Are you tired, dehydrated, sick, or wired from caffeine? Meet the ordinary need first, then revisit the big conclusion. Care for the instrument through which you practice reason.