The first discourse of our contemplate-a-long of Epictetus' Discourses is one the most powerful, but also one that is poorly understood without reading the primary material
I think that Epictetus is saying that our body is a tool. It is ours, but like our car or any other possession of ours, it may succumb to issues beyond our control, accidental events, disease, etc. Even our brain, our physical brain is a tool with which we use to create our rational thoughts. Our brain can succumb to adverse events despite us taking all feasible care for it.
I think that Epictetus is saying that our body is a tool. It is ours, but like our car or any other possession of ours, it may succumb to issues beyond our control, accidental events, disease, etc. Even our brain, our physical brain is a tool with which we use to create our rational thoughts. Our brain can succumb to adverse events despite us taking all feasible care for it.
I really like this conception of the body as a tool and it plays nicely with Stoic dualism.
Do you make room for a soul in your philosophy, or do you think the brain materially gives rise to rational thought and that’s the end of the matter?