In The Handbook‚ Epictetus writes‚ “let us never lay the blame on others‚ but on ourselves—that is‚ on our own judgements” (The Handbook‚ 114). Epictetus is explaining that when one is “disturbed or distressed” (The Handbook‚ 114) about an event‚ she can only blame herself; for‚ those feelings are caused by her response to the event and not the event itself. Moreover‚ while one cannot control the external forces around her‚ one can still control how she thinks and responds to the situation (Tyler
Premium Psychology Emotion Feeling
altered and adjusted according to the beliefs of different people. God has been molded to fit the beliefs of Christianity‚ Islam and redefined in Judaism. To some‚ God does not exist and to others‚ God is heaven and earth. To stoic philosophers like Epictetus‚ god is a playwright who assigns a role for each and every living thing‚ instilling himself as the rationality to all things like a conscience. To Christian‚ Judaism‚ and Islamic followers‚ God is an almighty divine being who is capable of both miracles
Premium God Religion Christianity
because of our judgment about those things. In the Handbook of Epictetus‚ he claims that “what upsets people is not things themselves but their judgments about the things” (Epictetus). Our judgment affects many things like our emotions‚ opinions‚ and decisions we make. For example‚ in a situation where one person assists another person to cheat on a test and the person who assists the cheater is caught‚ the assister can do many things. Epictetus states three things that a person becomes
Premium Ethics Morality Psychology
Epictetus‚ the stoic philosopher who was alive (55-135 CE)‚ believed that some things are up to us and some are not. “Opinions‚ desires‚ impulses‚ aversions‚ those are all up to us. Our bodies‚ our possessions‚ reputations‚ those are not up to us”. Epictetus believes that we allow others to make us feel the way we do. How we choose to react is on us. Epictetus goes on to explain that “when we are thwarted or upset‚ distressed
Premium Positive psychology Ethics Stoicism
At first glance‚ I was immediately inclined to argue in epictetus’ favor‚ because it pains me to argue that Christianity is good for anybody. In the following paragraphs‚ i will contrast the God of Epictetus‚ and the God of Augustine‚ and in the end‚ my stand will be clear. Epictetus and Augustine both identify God on basic level. Epictetus says‚ "Where the essence of God is‚ there too is the essence of good. What is the essence of God?......Right Reason? Certainly
Premium God Good and evil Human
Born of different stations‚ languages and creeds‚ Epictetus and Seneca are Roman philosophers who externally appear to be very different. Epictetus was born to a slave mother‚ sold as a slave himself and spent the majority of his youth as a slave in Rome. Seneca was born into money; he became tutor to a boy named Nero who later acquired position of Emperor of Rome in 54 A.D. Though these two men seem to be from very different worlds‚ they have a shared purpose in studying philosophy. The purpose
Premium Death Human Meaning of life
“The Enchiridion‚” by Epictetus is a very interesting piece. This piece emphasizes the different aspects of our lives that we do have control of contrasted to the parts of our lives that we do not have any control of. “Things in our control are opinion‚ pursuit‚ desire‚ aversion‚ and‚ in a word‚ whatever are our own actions. Things not in our control are body‚ property‚ reputation‚ command‚ and‚ in one word‚ whatever are not our own actions.” (Epictetus 1) This quote lists and incorporates some
Premium Thought Mind Idea
have contemplated for thousands of years the purpose of reason and what it is good for. Three philosophers specifically have tried to prove that their theory is the best they are Descartes‚ Epictetus‚ and Leibniz. Descartes believes that reason is good for proving God exists and reason shows us we exist. Epictetus believes that reason is useful for proving what good actually is and that reason gives us freedom. Leibniz believes reason is good because it proves the existence of God and helps prove that
Premium Philosophy Metaphysics Epistemology
Christian Dold 8 June 2015 Free Will and Determinism in Run Lola Run Perhaps one of the most pressing questions that philosophers have attempted to answer throughout the years is the debate between human free will and determinism. Free will is the idea that human action is unhindered by fate‚ and that the actions we take are directly responsible for our future. Conversely‚ determinism argues the opposite of this‚ that our actions are not free but are merely a result of preceding events. The film
Premium Free will Determinism Metaphysics
Can we be Slaves to our Desires? Epictetus argues that we can be slaves to our desires. In one example‚ a man clearly desires power and thinks he gains it by becoming Caesar’s friend; though in doing so‚ he becomes more like a slave. Although he may have increased his social status‚ he proves to be worse off and more enslaved than when he started. He now has to pay attention continuously to Caesar’s every word. He has to agonize constantly over whether the great Caesar views him favorably‚ and
Free Obesity Nutrition Cancer