Epictetus on seeking admiration

About this event

We continue our series featuring an in-depth look at the Discourses of Epictetus, a book that has literally changed my life and that I think is one of the most important of the entire Western philosophical canon, if not of philosophy worldwide. I recommend the Robin Waterfield translation of Epictetus (https://bookshop.org/a/80309/9780226769509), published in 2024 by the University of Chicago Press. However, a free version, based on the W.A. Oldfather translation from 1925, is available at Wikisource (https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Epictetus,_the_Discourses_as_reported_by_Arrian,_the_Manual,_and_Fragments). <<>> This time we will discuss Discourses 1.21, "To those who want to be admired," where Epictetus explains why adulation is not a Stoic value. We will then go on to talk about Discourses 1.22, "On preconceptions," a crucial Stoic concept that accounts for why people disagree even though they have good intentions. <<>> Please note that the zoom link will be shared with registered attendees on this page on the morning of the event, so make sure to check it before attempting to log in. Also, for security reasons (i.e., reducing the chances of "zoom bombings"), please do not share the link outside our group! Thanks!