Seneca's investigation takes place mainly through the consideration of the views of other thinkers, both Greek and Roman, though it is not without original thought.

It is often suggested that the purpose of this combination of ethics and philosophical 'physics' is to demonstrate the close connection between these two parts of philosophy, in line with the thought of Stoicism.

Moral remarks are scattered through the work; and indeed the design of the whole appears to be to find a foundation for ethics in the knowledge of nature.

[2][12] Stoics from early in their history considered the telos (goal) of their efforts to be kata physin (according to nature).

[14] The highest good or virtue is to live "according to one's own nature" (secundum naturam suam vivere in Ep.

[20]Achieving an existence in keeping with the correct manner of living (that is being ethical) depends on a person fulfilling that existence in accordance with the principles of the natural law or ius naturae (p. 258 [16]) of the divine universal order (Seneca - Ep 76.23 as shown at p. 84-5 [14]), inherent in the totality of nature.

[8] Erasmus of Rotterdam once owned a copy of the work, which had previously belonged to the 15th century humanist Rodolphus Agricola.