Discourses and Selected Writings

“Reason is unique among the faculties assigned to us in being able to evaluate itself—what it is, what it is capable of, how valuable it is—in addition to passing judgement on others.”

Although Epictetus does not offer a specific definition of reason, he does see reason as impressions, but they are ordered in a way that aligns with nature and the good (51). This is why, even though Epictetus emphasizes applying philosophy to improve one’s character and morality, logic and reason still play a crucial role in his philosophy.

“Consider at what price you sell your integrity; but please, for God’s sake, don’t sell it cheap. The grand gesture, the ultimate sacrifice—that, perhaps, belongs to others, to people of Socrates’ class.”

The applied philosophy of Epictetus is based on the concept of Freedom Through Self-Discipline and Reason. It is a matter of “training” (22), which can be a perpetual process. This passage is the first of several hints that Epictetus believes that very few people should expect to ever truly reach the Stoic ideal achieved by Socrates and Diogenes, but that it is important to nevertheless try.

“What is the goal of virtue, after all, except a life that flows smoothly?”

The ultimate goal of Stoicism is achieving tranquility, which is seen as equivalent to happiness. Teaching people how to achieve such happiness was the goal of most of the major philosophical schools of antiquity, including Epicureanism and Cynicism. For Epictetus, such virtue is the result of