What is Epictetus philosophy?
Primarily interested in ethics, Epictetus described philosophy as learning “how it is possible to employ desire and aversion without hindrance.” True education, he believed, consists in recognizing that there is only one thing that belongs to an individual fully—his will, or purpose.
Was Epictetus a philosopher?
Epictetus (/ˌɛpɪkˈtiːtəs/; Greek: Ἐπίκτητος, Epíktētos; c. 50 – c. 135 AD) was a Greek Stoic philosopher. He was born into slavery at Hierapolis, Phrygia (present-day Pamukkale, in western Turkey) and lived in Rome until his banishment, when he went to Nicopolis in northwestern Greece for the rest of his life.
How did Epictetus earn his freedom?
Later, Epictetus obtained his freedom shortly after emperor Nero’s death and started teaching philosophy in Rome for nearly 25 years. This lasted until emperor Domitian famously banished all philosophers in Rome.
Who Influenced Epictetus?
SocratesZeno of CitiumDiogenesChrysippusGaius Musonius RufusCleanthes
Epictetus/Influenced by
What does Epictetus say about emotions?
Don’t let others determine your emotions I will only make them my own if I so choose. If this were not true, if my own thoughts couldn’t intervene, I’d have to be depressed all the time. Unless I could make everyone else change their opinion about me, which is nearly impossible and very hard work.
How does Epictetus understand happiness?
Stephens shows how, for Epictetus, happiness results from focusing our concern on what is up to us while not worrying about what is beyond our control. He concludes that the strength of Epictetus’ thought lies in his conception of happiness as freedom from fear, worry, grief, and dependence upon luck.
How does Epictetus understand human nature?
His Theory of Reality & Human Nature Epictetus believed that humans were rational beings living in a rational universe. He refers to the fundamental orderliness of all things, or the rational principle underlying the universe, as Zeus, God, or the gods.
What does Epictetus say about happiness?
There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will.