Epictetus’

 on  Common  Life  Issues  in  his  Discourses  and  Enchridion  

In  addition  to  providing  a  general  overarching  theory  of  human  nature  and  a  moral  theory,  
in  the  surviving  works  of  Epictetus’s  teachings,  numerous  discussions  can  be  found  bearing  
upon  specific  but  fairly  common  problems,  issues,  and  challenges  faced  in  the  course  of  life.  
 
In  general,  these  issues  bear  upon  the  domain  of  things  that  are,  strictly  speaking,  outside  
of  our  power  (ouk  ep’humon),  and  are  thus  indifferents  (adiaphora),  neither  good  nor  bad.    
At  the  same  time,  many  of  these  issues  also  have  to  do  with  our  use  (khresis)  of  externals,  
which  can  be  done  well  or  badly,  and  is  a  matter  for  our  faculty  of  choice  (prohairesis).  
 
It  is  easy  enough  in  the  quite  short  Enchirdion,  to  find  the  passages  that  deal  with  common  
issues  arising  in  life,  presenting  challenges  that  Stoicism  can  meet.    It  can  be  helpful,  in  
working  through  the  much  longer  Discourses,  to  be  provided  with  references  to  chapters.  
 
 
  Being  In  The  Power  of  Others  
 
In  general,  there  are  many  things  that  other  people  have  control  over,  at  least  to  some  
 
extent,  and  if  we  direct  our  desires  and  aversions  at  those  things,  we  in  effect  allow  
 
those  people  to  acquire  power  over  ourselves,  and  compel  our  choices.  
 
Dealt  with  specifically  in  book  1  chap.  4  (i.e.,1.4),  1.19  3.24,  4.1  of  the  Discourses  
 
 
 
 
  Being  Threatened  By  Others  
  In  societies,  some  people  do  possess  power  to  inflict  punishments  upon  our  external  
  possessions,  our  bodies,  or  other  eternals,  if  we  do  not  follow  their  orders.  We  can  
  come  to  fear  these  punishments,  and  take  threats  as  reasons  to  comply  with  orders.  
  Dealt  with  specifically  in  1.2,  1.17,  1.18,  1.19,  1.29,  2.2,  2.6,  2.14,  3.7,  4.1    
 
 
 
  Desiring  to  Please  or  Be  Admired  By  Others  
  The  desire  to  please  or  be  admired  by  other  people  views  this  response  as  a  good,  and  
  seeks  to  acquire  it.    But  since  the  responses  of  others  lie  in  their  power,  following  this  
  desire  sets  us  within  the  power  of  others,  and  renders  us  vulnerable  to  disappointment  
  Dealt  with  specifically  in  1.21,  1.26,  2.13,  3.23,  4.1,  4.11  
 
 
 
  Desiring  Offices  or  Positions  
 
Position,  office,  authority,  or  power  is  another  set  of  externals  many  people  regard  as  a  
 
good.    Desiring  these  typically  requires  a  person  to  subordinate  their  own  faculty  of  
 
choice  to  those  who  can  provide  them  with  positions  of  this  sort    
 
Dealt  with  specifically  in  1.9,  1.10,  3.7,  4.9,  4.10  
 
 

Copyright  2015,  Gregory  B.  Sadler,  Ph.D     ReasonIO:  philosophy  into  practice  
 Epictetus’  on  Common  Life  Issues  in  his  Discourses  and  Enchridion  

 
  Dealing  With  The  Crowd  or  The  Public  
  People  put  together  in  a  crowd,  mob,  or  public,  generally  don’t  have  or  exhibit  good  
  sense  about  what  matters,  or  what  is  good.    Desiring  a  response  from  the  crowd  places  
  us  in  their  capricious  power.    Despising  a  crowd,  however,  is  also  the  wrong  response.  
  Dealt  with  specifically  in  1.6,  2.13,  2.14  2,16,  2.17,  3.23  
 
 
 
  Other  People  Getting  Things  We  Don’t  
  It  is  easy  to  become  envious  or  upset  that  other  people  get  opportunities,  positions,  
  relationships,  praise,  or  other  things  that  we  don’t  get.    If  they  paid  the  price  required  
  for  them,  and  we  didn’t  it  makes  sense  that  they  get  what  we  do  not.  
  Dealt  with  specifically  in  1.19,  3.17,  4.6,  4.7  
 
 
 
  Not  Wanting  to  be  Pitied  Or  Looked  Down  Upon  By  Others  
  Other  people  may  evaluate  one’s  own  way  of  life,  possessions,  opportunities,  
  relationships,  etc.  as  not  being  good,  and  thus  feel  and  express  pity  towards  one.    How  
  should  one  regard  this  pity,  as  something  good,  bad,  or  indifferent?  
  Dealt  with  specifically  in  1.2,  2.21,  3.26,  4.6  
 
 
 
  Other  People  Getting  Matters  Wrong  
  When  we  see  other  people  getting  basic  matters  about  what  is  good  or  bad,  rational  or  
  irrational,  wrong,  this  may  upset  us,  so  that  we  desire  to  intervene  or  say  something.    
  We  don’t  control  how  other  people  view  matters  or  what  they  do  as  a  result.  
  Dealt  with  specifically  in  1.18  1.28,  1.29,  4.6,  4.8,  4.11  
 
 
 
  Worries  About  Losing  One’s  Possessions  or  Status  
  When  a  person  has  what  seems  to  be  a  stable  financial  situation,  they  can  still  fear  the  
  loss  of  their  income  or  property,  and  not  having  enough  to  feed,  clothe,  and  shelter  
  themselves  and  those  for  whom  they  are  responsible.    How  will  they  cope?  
  Dealt  with  specifically  in  1.24,  126,  3.26,  4.10  
 
 
 
  Social  Interactions  With  Others  
  In  social  interactions  and  engagements  with  other  people,  it  can  be  easy  to  be  dragged  
  into,  or  dragged  down  by,  imprudent  and  irrational  behavior  of  others.    It  is  natural  to  
  want  to  be  fair  and  friendly  with  others,  but  sometimes  one  has  to  make  tough  choices.  
  Dealt  with  specifically  in  3.15,  4.2,  4.12  

Copyright  2015,  Gregory  B.  Sadler,  Ph.D     ReasonIO:  philosophy  into  practice  
 Epictetus’  on  Common  Life  Issues  in  his  Discourses  and  Enchridion  

 
  Family  Members  or  Friends  Who  Disappoint  
  Even  if  one  acts  in  the  ways  one’s  role  requires  towards  family  or  friends,  this  does  not  
  mean  that  those  people  will  act  in  the  proper  way  in  return,  and  it  is  easy  to  become  
  upset  over  this  perceived  lack  of  reciprocity  on  their  part.  
  Dealt  with  specifically  in  1.12,  1.15,  2.10,  2.22,  3.18,  3.20,  4.5  
 
 
 
  Feeling  Familial  Affection  and  Concern  
  Feeling  affection  and  concern  towards  family  members  can  sometimes  be  upsetting,  
  particularly  if  they  are  not  doing  well,  causing  us  to  feel  anxiety  about  them.    What    
  kinds  of  actions  and  choices  should  familial  affection  lead  us  into?  
  Dealt  with  specifically  in  1.11,  1.23,  3.24  
 
 
 
  Anger,  Temper,  and  Contentiousness  
  Anger  is  one  of  the  most  difficult  and  problematic  emotions.    Why  do  we  end  up  
  becoming  angry,  getting  into  conflicts  with  other  people,  and  coming  to  view  them  as  
  enemies?    What  sort  of  viewpoint  would  lead  us  past  these  locked-­‐in  stances?  
  Dealt  with  specifically  in  1.15,  1.18,  126,  2.10,  4.5  
 
 
 
  Sexual  Desire  and  Relations  
  Sexuality  is  a  dimension  of  human  existence  marked  by  strong  and  often  poorly  
  understood  desires,  which  can  sometimes  lead  us  to  transgress  against  social  norms,  
  and  to  negatively  affect  ourselves  and  others.    How  do  we  legitimately  meet  desire?  
 
Dealt  with  specifically  in  2.4,  2.8,  2.18,  2.20,  2.22,  3.3,  4.1,  4.9  
 
 
 
  Inconsistency  and  Incoherence  in  One’s  Life  
 
People  are  sometime  struck  by  how  inconsistent  or  incoherent  their  lives  are.    There  
 
seem  to  be  conflicts  or  contradictions  between  what  people  say  and  do,  what  they  think  
 
they  value  and  how  they  choose,  what  relationships  are  like  and  how  they  should  be/  
 
Dealt  with  specifically  in  2.21,  2.22,  2.26,  3.4  
 
 
 
  Bodily  Cleanliness,  Appearance,  and  Attractiveness  
 
The  Stoics  view  the  body  as  something  external,  but  that  does  not  mean  that  we  should  
 
not  take  care  of  it  at  all.    How  should  we  understand  cleanliness  and  attractiveness?    
 
How  much  attention,  and  what  kind  of  attention,  should  we  give  to  the  body?  
 
Dealt  with  specifically  in  1.6,  2,16,  2.23,  3.1,  4.11  

Copyright  2015,  Gregory  B.  Sadler,  Ph.D     ReasonIO:  philosophy  into  practice  
 Epictetus’  on  Common  Life  Issues  in  his  Discourses  and  Enchridion  

 
 
  Dealing  with  Bad  News  
 People  are  often  upset  by  finding  out  about  events  in  other  places,  because  they  view  
 these  events  as  somehow  having  some  bearing  upon  their  own  lives,  as  being  in  some  
 way  their  own  concern.    How  should  we  understand  what  happens  elsewhere?  
 Dealt  with  specifically  in  3.18,  3.24  
 
 
 
  Being  Away  From  Home  and  Comfort  
  Many  people  for  one  reason  or  another  have  to  be  away  from  their  homes,  the  places  
  they  would  rather  be  and  with  which  they  are  familiar.    They  may  experience  
  homesickness  and  sadness.    How  should  Stoics  approach  where  they  find  themselves?  
  Dealt  with  specifically  in  2.16,  3.13,  3.24  
 
 
 
  Illnesses  of  the  Body  
  Illnesses  of  the  body  are  a  common  experience  throughout  our  lives.    Many  people  fear  
  illness  or  become  upset  when  they  fall  sick.    Others  end  up  making  exceptions  for  
  themselves  or  changing  their  priorities  when  they  are  ill.  
  Dealt  with  specifically  in  2.5,  3.5,  3.10  
 
 
 
  Concerns  Over  Death  or  Loss  of  Others  
  When  people  who  we  care  about  die,  or  even  move  away  or  become  unavailable,  we  
  often  feel  grief,  sadness,  and  loneliness.    People  often  also  fear  that  others  will  in  one  
  way  or  another  go  away,  even  when  that  person  is  still  present.  
  Dealt  with  specifically  in  1.27,  2.17,  3.8,  3.13,  3.24,  3.24,  4.1  
 
 
 
 
 
Concerns  About  One’s  Own  Death  
Most  people  regard  their  own  death  as  something  bad,  and  do  whatever  they  can  to  
 
avoid  or  put  off  their  death.    How  should  we  behave  towards  death?    Is  it  possible  for  us  
 
to  use  death  in  a  good  way,  or  to  comport  ourselves  properly  towards  it?  
 
Dealt  with  specifically  in  1.  27,  2.1,  2.5,  2.6,  3.20,  4.1,  4.10  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Copyright  2015,  Gregory  B.  Sadler,  Ph.D     ReasonIO:  philosophy  into  practice