THE MANUAL EPICTETUS The Handbook is a guide to daily life. Epictetus focuses his attention on how to practically apply oneself on a philosophical level. The primary theme in this short work is that one should expect what will happen and wish it to happen so. The other motif that appears is Epictetus’ opinion on the judgment of events: What upset people are not things themselves‚ but their judgments about the things. For example‚ "death is nothing dreadful or else it would have appeared dreadful
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capture the equation for happiness. However‚ Aristotle and Epicurus are two philosophers that have realized that happiness or eudaimonia (the flourishing life)‚ is the major byproduct of a self-sufficient and morally good life. In essence‚ long-lasting happiness is not found directly; it is the result from living a morally just life. I begin this assessment of happiness‚ with the simple but critical reaction scheme that was developed by Epicurus. If happiness were to be found in any manner‚ then there
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well defined. The unknown aspects of what caused change and motion‚ how it affected the world‚ or whether change or motion was even possible led to a search for answers among many philosophers in Ancient Greece. Heraclitus‚ Parmenides and Zeno‚ and Epicurus‚ all pre-Socratic philosophers‚ were intrigued by this topic. Each of the men proposed their theories as to what caused change or motion‚ if they believed change or motion even existed‚ which not all did‚ and described their reasoning for their beliefs
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flourishing and can thus only be good. Epicurus’ argument depends on his particular understanding of pleasure. Pleasure can be thought of as a kind of feeling in itself‚ or as a way in which we experience various feelings or activities. Happiness in the latter sense‚ is not the result of feelings
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I argue that the fear of death is an irrational fear. In order to support my argument‚ I will consider three main reasons why people fear death and how the fear of death ties directly to the badness that is believed of death. I will also outline Epicurus’ point of view on death and the reason for my own personal belief that death is not to be feared. Is it rational to fear death? Is it rational to fear death? No. A better question is: Is it rational to fear a wasted life and face death
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Epicureans and the Stoics had rather differing philosophies on what the good life actually entailed. Epicurious‚ a Hedonist believe that pleasure was the ultimate good. That the elimination of pain was essential to pleasure and thus a good life. Epicurus‚ believed that the best way to achieve happiness is to reduce one’s consumption of materialistic things to only the necessities. To elaborate‚ eat bland foods‚ wear bland clothing‚ Epicurious‚ for example‚ lived in isolation. In addition‚ anything
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Letter to Menoeceus and Letter to Herodotus‚ Epicurus describes how one can differently view faith: with question because of lack of proof or with the understanding that God knows all. Although the difference in the definitions of faith are minimal‚ only really changing who or what you are trusting. Faith in a person is the love and trust in their judgement. But‚ a faith that many people know is religious; the firm
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hat is considered a good life? Herodotus and Epicurus presents readers there depiction of a good life in their works‚ Persian Wars and “Letter to a Friend‚” respectively. The ideas of a good life presented by Herodotus in Persian Wars and by Epicurus in “Letter to a Friend” both share identical aspects of a good life‚ but at the same time both works are distinct from one another. One similarity between the two writers’ idea of a good life is that one must have respect for the divine whether it be
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In reading Epictus Handbook‚ I discover that Epictus never really states a point of options. I understand from his reading and works that he doesn’t like to take a definite stand on anything he speaks on. He says our "opions or perceptions are entirely up to us‚ and our impulses‚ desires‚ aversions". However I only agree with his statement to a degree‚ but the following statement "our bodies are not up to us‚ nor are our possessions‚ our reputations‚ or our public office‚ or‚ that is what is not
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May it be from old age‚ sickness‚ violence etc. death is a state of affairs that is inescapable. Stephen Rosenbaum‚ a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Nevada‚ Las Vegas‚ writes the essay “How to Be Dead and Not care” where he introduces Epicurus’ argument‚ defends and explicates it while also incorporating an American philosopher Thomas Nagel‚ objections to the argument. Evidently Rosenbaum’s essay serves as an insight for readers to learn how to value and repurpose their lives to be better
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