Epictetus

1. How, according to Aristotle, does reason determine right action? How does this connect with the general principle that virtuous action is a mean between extremes? (HINT: Read “Happiness and the Virtues” by Aristotle) Reason plays a part in right action through all of the human virtues. For example, a self-doubt person would use reason to gain confidence. Aristotle pointed out that reason directs us to moderation between. In other words, if excellence is your virtue then avoid mediocrity. 2…

Roman philosopher who followed the idea of Epicureanism, believed that simple pleasures and avoiding pain is happiness which leads to the good life opposed to Epictetus, a Greek philosopher who followed the idea of Stoicism, believed that one should never desire or seek pleasure whatsoever. Although Epicureanism may sound similar to Epictetus, the founder of this system of philosophy was actually Epicurus, who was Lucretius' role model. His philosophy "proposed that the ultimate goal of human…

However, if death is a part of life, why does a person cry at a funeral? Epictetus expresses it best with one of the selections in his article, From The Handbook, "People are not disturbed by what happens but by the view they take of what happens, death is not terrible, for if it were it would have seemed so to Socrates," (787). In other words, it is not what happen to a person, but how that person handles the situation. Epictetus believes that the reaction of a person is more important than the…

observed existing relationships between emotion and thought (Wright, Basco, and Thase, 2006). These earlier contributors include the Stoic philosopher Epictetus. Epictetus’ documented teachings exalted the need for personal responsibility in choosing one’s actions through self-control and logic (Wright, Basco, and Thase, 2006). Essentially, Epictetus introduced the tenets of many current mantras and philosophies that acknowledge human incapacity to control circumstances while also supporting…

fallacy such as awfulizing. This is important because it can help a person turn a negative mindset into something positive that will enhance the persons perspective on a given situation and life. This essay defends the thesis that Nietzsche and Epictetus both…

Aristotle is addressing the questions of: “What is a human being’s telos (purpose)?” and “What is the highest good?” It is by answering these questions that we will be able to see how Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics is related to both Socrates and Epictetus’ philosophy, not to mention how it has contributed to my understanding of generosity, and virtue overall. Let us start off by examining the question of “What is the highest good that people aim at?” According to Aristotle, “every art and…

But by embracing the difficulties of life one can become very aware of what 's ahead of oneself, and can plan for obstacles. Epictetus states that the outside world, our environment, or whatever surrounds us is out of our control and the only thing that 's in our control is our response. That is, the outcome is directly linked to our response to events. Further, Epictetus drives one to analyze the what we think of others misfortunes. Usually, when a mishap happens to a person, to our neighbors…

Moments of Happiness Ever since humans wanted more than just the basic needs in life, they have questioned what could a make a person ultimately happy. Aristotle defines happiness as, “prosperity combined with virtue” (774), while Victor Hugo says, “The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved” (774). Overall philosophers for centuries have strived for an answer and differed in opinions. This quest or strive to figure out happiness has puzzled people to such confusion that…

mentions that God does not like people who are proud of what they have attained because they do not have to be vain ( p. 164). On the contrary, God or the Divine reality prefers those individuals who are meek. Similarly, In the “Manual of Philosophy”, Epictetus also talks about how it is illogical to that men brag about their attainments; he says that based on belongings and capabilities, individuals are not superior than others (p. 202). Therefore, according to both belief systems, human beings…

either the living or the dead, since for the former it is not, and the latter are no more (Pojman and Vaughn, 2014, pg. 539). Epictetus embraced Stoicism and taught that we should submit to our fate as God’s sacred gift and design. Some things are up to us, some are not up to us and viewing death is something that is not in our control. Since it is not in our control Epictetus believes that we should not think about it. He says, “It is not things that upset people but rather ideas about…