Epictetus

A Lawful Universe Stoicism was a philosophy that started with the basic insight of both Plato and Aristotle that we live in a lawful universe. The order discovered in nature gives witness to a divine intelligence at work both in the cosmos and in human beings.

Zeno ( B.C.E.)

Reality is Good The good news in this rigid determination was that the laws of nature presupposed a Lawgiver and Zeno believed this lawgiver was a “beneficent Providence.”

Our real value as human beings is not in our individuality, but in our being a part of this great system of nature.

One of the most famous Stoic sayings is “Live according to nature.”

Whatever freedom humans can aspire to has much less to do with whether we are born slave or free, healthy or unhealthy, but whether or not we are free from slavery to our emotions.

Ethics Stoic ethics culminates, then, in loving our neighbors as ourselves, and in realizing that all people, even slaves and enemies, are our neighbors in a certain sense.

The Role of a Teacher The role of the Stoic teacher, according to Epictetus, was to encourage his students to learn, first of all, the true nature of things, which is invariable, inalienable and valid for all human beings without exception.

Epictetus repeatedly states: "we are our attitude."

Quotes “I must die. Must I then die lamenting? I must be put in chains. Must I then also lament? I must go into exile. Does any man then hinder me from going with smiles and cheerfulness and contentment? ”

Quotes “Do not seek to bring things to pass in accordance with your wishes, but wish for them as they are, and you will find them.”

Quotes “If evil be spoken of you and it be true, correct yourself, if it be a lie, laugh at it.”

Summary Life is like a drama and your job is not to complain about your role, but to play it well.

The Role of Philosophy Philosophy was not to be studied just for the sake of speculation, but only for the sake of learning to discern what is best and then learning to follow through on what we decide in our actions. That way our actions will harmonize with our thoughts, which are in their turn aligned with the Logos, the reason, of the universe.