has the ability to experience. It can either come from indulging desires or come from mental and or spiritual happiness in which two great philosophers have studied and mastered in great depth. Although Epicurus and Epictetus both had very strong opinions to this argument‚ Epictetus showed that it is necessary to have a knowledgeable understanding of what is giving you that satisfaction. With his idea we see that it is important to see the big picture in order to be happy rather than Epicurus’ simple
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Augustine uses stoicism in abundance throughout Confessions. Stoicism is when you show no strong emotion toward something that would usually cause someone else to be very emotional. An example of what stoicism is‚ is in the passage from The Enchiridion (Epictetus 1997‚ 18)‚ “…if you embrace your child or wife‚ that you embrace a mortal - and thus‚ if either of them dies‚ you can bear
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Confessions fused the gap between Classical culture and Christianity. Stoicism was a school of philosophy where those who practiced it believed that it was wrong to show any kind of emotion in any circumstance. Even in times of death‚ as Epictetus stated in the Enchiridion “for the opinion about death‚ that it is terrible is the terrible thing.”1 It was acceptable to feel some sympathy for someone else’s emotions‚ just not empathy‚ “Do not be unwilling to show him sympathy‚ and even if it happens so‚ to
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