The Stoic Approach to Life (2)

AGENDA

1. Quiz
2. Epictetus, 1-24 (recap)
3. Epictetus, 25-51

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EPICTETUS, THE HANDBOOK 1-25 (PDF)

From 1: keep your focus on what is "up to us"

Stoic view: 

•  only virtue matters, and it's up to us
•  four main virtues: wisdom, justice, courage, moderation

From 2: "And for the time being eliminate desire completely...."

Initial goal: indifference and imperturbability about external things

How to achieve?  Change the way you think.

5. "What upsets people is not things themselves but their judgments about the things." (etc)

8. "Do not seek to have events happen as you want them to, but instead want them to happen as they do happen, and your life will go well."

10. "At each thing that happens to you, remember to turn to yourself and ask what capacity you have for dealing with it." (etc.)

17. "Remember that you are an actor in a play...." (etc.)

Indifference about everyday annoyances

3. The broken jug is just A jug, not MY jug

4. The annoying things that happen at the baths are to be expected

Indifference even about death

    3, 5, 11, 14, 16, 21, 26

Indifference about illness and disability

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HANDBOOK 24 - 51

Beyond just being indifferent...how to cope with goals, ambitions ... also, having a social life, pursuing pleasure

• Is it good or bad advice?
• asterisks indicate sections people discussed for RR6

Goals and ambitions -- 

• ok to pursue external things as long as they're not bad ...
• and as long as your first priority is always virtue
• some of the advice helps you achieve your goals
• some of the advice helps you cope with failure

24. Lack of honors, making money (read A and B)

25. Not being a social success (read C and D)

29. Doing what it takes to succeed (read E and F) 

33. Conducting yourself at banquets (read G) 

Social life, pleasures, roles

27. Handing over your faculty of judgment  

30.  Playing roles 

34. Pleasures  

37. Insults  

40. Pleasures, women  

41. Pleasures (read H)  

44. Being judgmental 

46 General (read I)