Discourses and Selected Writings

How would you define “natural law” based on Epictetus’s words? What is the role of nature and natural law in Epictetus’s views, especially his understanding of the universe, human nature, and the good?

Doing original research, compare Stoicism as presented by Epictetus to another of the major philosophical schools: Platonism, Cynicism, Epicureanism, or Pyrrhonism. How are they different or similar? What does each reflect about life and intellectual thought in Greek and Roman antiquity?

How does Epictetus present God and the gods? In what ways are the divine important in Epictetus’s philosophy?

Does Epictetus’s philosophy still apply to modern life? Why or why not?

Approach Epictetus as a historical source. What does he reveal about the second-century Roman Empire?

How does the politics of Epictetus’s time and the topic of political and social power influence his philosophy? How does he explore the nature of power and agency?

How does one achieve happiness, according to Epictetus? Analyze the relationship between happiness and freedom in his teachings.

What do the Fragments reveal about Epictetus’s influence? How does his thought compare to that of more modern schools of philosophy, such as existentialism?