Epictetus Essay

Epictetus was a Stoic philosopher who lived during the height of the Roman Empire, 50 to 135 CE roughly. He was born a slave in modern Turkey. He was given his name from the Greek word επικτητος, meaning ‘acquired’ or ‘slave’. As a slave he was permitted to attend philosophy lectures, which were held by Stoics at the time. During his time as a slave, Epictetus’ leg was injured, either from torture or an accident, and, due to his familiarity with Stoicism, he was able to endure it. He got his freedom

Stoicism: Epictetus & Seneca Born of different backgrounds, upbringings, and experiences, Epictetus and Seneca are Roman philosophers who outwardly appear very different. Epictetus spent most of his youth as a slave while Seneca was born into money and became a tutor of Nero. Although these two men seem to be very dissimilar, they each shared a common purpose in studying philosophy and teaching people on how to live well. Each suggested different paths for how to do so. Epictetus suggests in his

external things cannot be controlled, and attempting to control them will just bring unhappiness. The Stoic philosopher Epictetus is one such philosopher. In The Enchiridion he outlined how to live a good life as a stoic. Anything that is not one's own action is out of their control and

Stoic writings like Epictetus’ Enchiridion or The Handbook, show that he believes that to live the best life possible, that person needs to not put any value into emotions. In Epictetus' writing, he writes his beliefs on how a person can achieve the Good Life. The Good Life is a concept people strive to achieve in their lives. Epictetus believes that for a person to have the Good Life, they should not let the death of someone they loved to make them unhappy, that the judgment of death is what makes

to practice. The major flaw of Stoicism, highlighted in McGill’s ‘The Issue of the Satisfaction of Desire’ is the belief that emotion is a product of mistaken judgments and therefore is controllable. This leads to illogical conclusions evident in Epictetus’ ‘The Handbook’ which suggests both that it is possible to enjoy externals such as possessions, body and relationships whilst still not properly being attached

The Rules of Life: Epictetus’ View      As rational beings, we can become conscious of the law that guides all things. Virtue consists in conscious agreement with the inevitable order of things. According to Epictetus’ The Enchiridion, one acts with the virtues of Stoicism: human imperfection, prudence, temperance, and courage. We can relate what Epictetus is saying to our own lives. It appears that some comfort comes in knowing that one has no control over the predetermined

Lyle Henderson experienced all the hardships that came alongside his father’s belief of a Stoic life. The quotation by the Stoic philosopher, Epictetus illustrates all the struggles Lyle’s father faces while still hoping with strong morals that the trials he faces would make his life meaningful in the end. Previously, his father refused to take the charity box without earning it through hard work. Sydney placed himself in a dangerous situation through his noble action of approaching the danger of

free man (Seneca 194). Similarly, Epictetus instructs “Do not be joyful about any superiority that is not your own” (Epictetus 6), which recalls his earlier statement that “our possessions, our reputations, or our public offices” fall into this category. In application of this view, he draws a distinction between the statements: “I am richer than you; therefore, I am superior to you" and “I am richer than you; therefore, my property is superior to yours” (Epictetus 44), the former being invalid and

Suffering is a universal phenomenon that nobody can escape. “Every second, people are murdered, tortured, beaten, maimed, separated from their loved ones” (Ricard 35). And even though it is “an intrinsic part of our daily lives”, it is often ignored in the conversation of happiness because happiness and suffering are perceived to be polar opposite states of being. (Ricard 35). Scholars would argue that one is simply the absence of the other. Stoic philosophers emphasize the importance of enduring

Epictetus was born in 55 AD in Hierapolis, Phrygia and he died in 135 AD in Nicopolis, Achaea. He was born to the life of a slave and died as a great roman philosopher. As a slave he studied Stoic philosophy due to his owner recognizing his intellectual potential. He studied under the Musonius Rufus. He was granted freedom after Emperor Nero’s death. After some time Epictetus had gained his freedom and opened up his own school of philosophy where he taught up until he was exiled from Rome. After