《沉思录·卷四·退隐于自己的心》第4条
If our intellectual part is common, the reason also, in respect of which we are rational beings, is common: if this is so, common also is the reason which commands us what to do, and what not to do; if this is so, there is a common law also; if this is so, we are fellow-citizens; if this is so, we are members of some political community; if this is so, the world is in a manner a state. For of what other common political community will any one say that the whole human race are members? And from thence, from this common political community, comes also our very intellectual faculty and reasoning faculty and our capacity for law; or whence do they come? For as my earthly part is a portion given to me from certain earth, and that which is watery from another element, and that which is hot and fiery from some peculiar source (for nothing comes out of that which is nothing, as nothing also returns to non-existence), so also the intellectual part comes from some source.
注释摘要
这段推理是典型的斯多葛式推导，从人的内在结构一路走到世界城邦。奥勒留从一个几乎不可否认的起点出发：我们每一个人的理智部分并非各自孤立、彼此隔绝的。当我们真的在思考、在判断，而不是被情绪和欲望拖着走的时候，那种思考的能力并不因为你是我、他是另一个人就变成了两种完全不同的东西。只要谈话能够成立，只要人还能彼此说服、彼此理解，那就说明在暗处有一个共通的理性在起作…