Epictetus, Discourses | Training (Askesis) | Philosophy Core Concepts

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This is a video in my new Core Concepts series -- designed to provide students and lifelong learners a brief discussion focused on one main concept from a classic philosophical text and thinker.
This video focuses on book 3 of Epictetus' Discourses, specifically on his discussion about the training (askesis) involved in the Stoic life.
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#Stoicism #Epictetus #philosophy

[@Anekantavad]

6:15: "I don't want to feel that way" vs "I don't want that to happen". To me, this seems at the absolute centre of the whole thing.

[@followyourideas]

What I'd give to travel back in time and be an epictetus' pupil.

[@GregoryBSadler]

That would certainly be great!

[@amadeuslow9898]

Good one. Thanks for your generosity professor 😄

[@GregoryBSadler]

You're welcome!

[@ells101]

Nice! This has helped for my finals as a great brush up feel like i've got a nice grasp of the topic. I would looooove to spark a doobie with this guy tho, imagine you could just blaze and have THE best chats for hours on end about philosophy!

[@GregoryBSadler]

+ells101 Glad the video was useful for you. Never got into pot, but I enjoy a beer or two once in a while

[@KevinPatrickJr]

Musonius Rufus, Epictetus' teacher is very specific about what trainings the philosopher should undertake. See esp. Lectures, 6, 7, and 18-21 sites.google.com/site/thestoiclife/the_teachers/musonius-rufus/lectures

[@GregoryBSadler]

+Kevin Patrick Jr Indeed he is

[@MrMarktrumble]

While training of the body is necessary for health, getting too involved for training for beauty, or sparring to the degree of damage to ones self, or others is foolish. Sparring can get one too involved with other people. The goal is health. Ones physical aspect, while important is not as important as ones intellect and ones mental health. To learn, and apply ones learning, while having a measure of serenity I think is good( as long as serenity does not evade or is easily lost by necessary challenges). I wanted to be honoured for being wise, and I think that was foolish. It was easier when I accepted that many simply do not care for my projects, and that anonymity was preferable to celebrity. As I age, I see many possibilities close, others open and a life time of persistence in trying to learn philosophy .If time is less, then one best be better in prioritizing and acting on these priorities. What is more valuable than to be wise? It is the crown that puts all of ones world in order. But I find that my original impulses have been deadened by relentless and demanding routine. But I persist anyway. I admire toughness, individuality, self-reliance, autonomy, calm uncommon common sense. And ironically, I work in a non for profit community college for immigrant women, where the central metaphors that are used are teams, and families...meanwhile I have no father and mother, no siblings, cousins I was never close to ...my only family is my wife. My childish imagination has images of pious, competent frontier persons ( or hermits) , capable of identifying what needs to be done, and doing it. Instead, I can be a driven and peevish man prone to routine. hmmmm...what does it feel like to be wise. My childish imagination imagined some sort of profound insight followed by a sense of success and a habit of contentment. ( Ì got it`! ). Instead, work leads to more work ( and bush time leads to more bush time). My hidden temptation is physical aggression and cowardice. The biggest illusion I may hold is that I am due any status at all. I have to watch that thrift does not turn to miserliness, bitterness turn to rancour, and a valuing of glory turn to self destruction. Yes, the goal is self discipline. Self discipline is the only way to become free.

[@phillewis3108]

The problem with this is that, if I’m averse to, say, hard work, then I can’t go to the other extreme, and start working hard, because I have a great aversion to that. So I just won’t do it. Or, in my case, I eat too much. I’ve been trying for 35 years to go to the other extreme, and restrict my food intake, but it just doesn’t work. The problem is my attraction to food, is far to strong to simply decide to move away from it. I wish it were. It so, but that’s the way it is.

[@GregoryBSadler]

The problem, Epictetus would say, is all that “I can’t do anything” judgment on your part

[@phillewis3108]

@@GregoryBSadler I’m not saying I can’t do anything. Ok, I am. But if I could just not be the way I am, I would have done it long ago. It’s really not that easy. But also. I’m saying if I do what he says, it doesn’t work. I went 18 months in lockdown without overeating. I lost nearly 50 pounds in weight. But even after two years, the habits were not changed. Every day was a struggle. Now lockdown is over, I regained that weight in about 4 months. This myth about replacing habits just doesn’t work.

[@GregoryBSadler]

@@phillewis3108 Right. . . so do little steps instead of telling yourself "I just can't" as an excuse