Epictetus Rational Thinking Essay

Rational thinking is often viewed as “a way of obtaining knowledge that emphases using the mind rather than the supernatural as a means of coming to truth”. Epictetus believes that one may be responsible for their judgment, impulses, desires, aversions, and general mental faculties while one may not have as much control over their body, possessions, and reputations (Human Foundations 251). We are rational beings living in a rational universe. One possesses the quality to make decisions with his or her mind rather than having these decisions made for them by a higher power. Epictetus states that individuals are responsible for their own actions but they may control through self-discipline. The foundation of self-knowledge leads to logic which
Errors of judgment lead to certain destructive emotions. I agree with Epictetus and the idea that formal logic, monistic physics, and naturalistic ethics create the foundation of stoicism. We must remember what is in our control and what is not. It is a reminder to not get angry at things or events that we cannot influence. These may include factors from other people and other external events. We should only focus on ourselves and our own behavior. This allows us to learn to let go and accept things as they are yet is also a reminder that our actions and choices are controlled solely by us. It is important to focus on how we are living and the choices that we are making. If our time and energy are spent in a positive way, we will benefit from the
One piece of advice that a friend once gave me is “Don’t borrow trouble.” Keeping this in mind helps me to focus on the present and not worry about “what if.” I think we have to constantly remind ourselves that the “what ifs” are out of our control so worrying about what might go wrong is a waste of our time. When you think about what could go wrong if, you are not present in the now. You are worrying about something that may not even happen and losing precious time in the meantime. The other life motto of mine that the study of Epictetus made me think of is the old saying “It is what it is.” Epictetus would put this a bit more eloquently, I’m sure, but it is about accepting what is happening whether you like it or not. If it’s in the realm of things we can’t control, we can’t make it into something else or alter the outcome. We simply have to accept that “it is what it is” and choose how we react to and deal with the situation. Fretting over an outcome that you can’t do anything about is, again, wasting valuable time without any advantage to be gained. You could give an example