The Stoic View of Happiness: Seneca and Epictetus Flashcards
what does stoicism prize?
- rationality and truth seeking as a guide to virtue
- aim of securing personal tranquiity by achieving independence from anything outside of one’s control
- because one’s own desires, choices, judgement, and character are (supposedly) within one’s control stoics teach that what matters is using reason to govern these rightly
- ignore everything else
Seneca
- 4 BCE- 65CE
- born in Cordoba (now spain), raised in Rome where he was trained in philosophy and thetoric
- in early adulthood, was exiled to the island of corsica
- returned to Rome at age 49 and became a tutor to the child adopted son of the emperor Claudius, NERO!!
- became emperor at 17
- Claudius became the advisor
- eventually, Seneca was accused of participating in a plot to kill Nero
- Nero demanded Seneca commit suicide, which he did, at age 69
EPICTETUS
- 60-135 CE
- born a Roman slave
- studied philosophy while a slave, was freed, moved to Greece to teach his brand of Stoicism
- was severely crippled at some point in his life
- His “Handbook” (Enchiridion) was written down by his student, Arrian
- notes that Arrian made for himself
SENECA’S STOICISM
I) I will look upon death or upon a comedy with the same expression of countenance.
II) I will despise riches when I have them as much as when I have them not.
III) I will view all lands as though they belong to me, and my own as though they belonged to all mankind.
IV) Whatever I may possess, I will neither hoard it greedily nor squander it recklessly.
V) I will do nothing because of public opinion, but everything because of conscience.
VI) I will be agreeable with my friends, gentle and mild to my foes: I will grant pardon before I am asked for it, and will meet the wishes of honourable men half-way.
VII) Whenever either Nature demands my breath again, or reason bids me dismiss it, I will quit this life, calling all to witness that I have loved a good conscience, and good pursuits.
EPICTETUS’ STOICISM
- requires SELF CONTROL
- especially in attitude toward pains, pleasures, and all objects of external desire/longing/fondness
- distinguished the properties of external objects from the judgments one makes of those external objects
- happiness depends on controlling those judgements
- concerned with the “nature” of things
stoic views about the body
- Stoics think body is very UNIMPORTANT when it comes to happiness
- can get in way of reason of tranquility
- it’s role is purely negative
“Indifference” (or “equanimity” — apatheia)
- negation of having passions, feelings, etc.
- “It’s basically all the same, comedies and tragedies”
“preferred indifferents”
i don’t care about health! but I would prefer to have health
stoic views on misfortune and luck
- Stoics think that things outside your control are to be disregarded
- since one has the power to choose what one cares about, it’s base and unworthy to care about things one cannot control
- can’t control external factors like success, health, or long life
- happiness depends only on choosing to value virtue, truth, reason and disregarding everything else
Seneca’s response to criticism that “even if a virtue is supremely important, a healthy, fit body and good luck are also desirable for their own sake, as a part fo complete happiness”
- distinction between choosing something bc it’s good and something being good BECAUSE one chooses it (in accord with one’s nature)
- denies distinction between “perfect happiness” or “complete happiness” and an intermediate state of non-happiness/nonwretchedness
