Freedom and determinism in Epictetus’ Discourses

dc.citation.titleThe Classical Quarterlyes
dc.citation.volume60es
dc.creatorBraicovich, Rodrigo Sebastián
dc.date.accessioned2019-09-09T20:43:01Z
dc.date.available2019-09-09T20:43:01Z
dc.date.issued2010
dc.descriptionSince Bobzien’s analysis of the early Stoic concept of that which ‘depends on us’ (τὰ ἐφ̓ ἡμῖν) and of its later connection with the concept of freedom (ἐλευθερία),1 great progress has been made in the endeavour of producing a new reading of Stoic ethics that can do away with the assumptions foreign to Hellenistic philosophy that had so long pervaded the traditional interpretations of Stoicism. Notwithstanding the persistent interest in early Stoic discussions of the problem of compatibilism,2 the analysis of Epictetus’ particular conception of freedom has frequently been neglected: it has often been equated to his distinction between that which ‘depends on us’ and that which does not, being interpreted as meaning that we are free in our actions as long as we limit ourselves to that which depends on us and neglect that which does not, that which has nothing to do with us. Initially, all the evidence in both the Discourses and in the Enchiridion certainly seems to support such an equation: for something to be free (ἐλεύθερος) it must necessarily be something which depends on us. Nevertheless, little attention has been paid to the ‘us’ in the last formula. I shall argue that only by analysing that precise element will we be able to reach a complete understanding of Epictetus’ solution to the problem of freedom and determinism and the rationalist educational programme he designs as its natural projection. I will claim that there is no such thing as an abstract ‘us’ which could be instantiated by each and every rational being; on the contrary, I propose to construe the reference of that term as a particularizing strategy that denotes not only each distinct individual but also each distinct individual’s epistemic disposition of his prohairesis at a given moment.es
dc.description.filFil: Braicovich, Rodrigo Sebastián. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Instituto de Estudios Críticos en Humanidades. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentinaes
dc.formatapplication/pdf
dc.format.extent202-220es
dc.identifier.issn0009-8388es
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2133/16032
dc.language.isoenges
dc.publisherCambridge University Presses
dc.relation.publisherversionhttps://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/classical-quarterly/article/freedom-and-determinism-in-epictetus-discourses/5DEBEB19D4FF23D43AF1F18C70F478D5es
dc.rightsopenAccesses
dc.rights.holderAutores
dc.rights.textTodos los derechos reservados por la Editoriales
dc.subjectFreedomes
dc.subjectDeterminismes
dc.subjectEpictetuses
dc.titleFreedom and determinism in Epictetus’ Discourseses
dc.typearticle
dc.typeartículo
dc.typepublishedVersion
dc.type.collectionarticulo
dc.type.versionpublishedVersiones

Archivos

Bloque original
Mostrando 1 - 1 de 1
Cargando...
Miniatura
Nombre:
BRAICOVICH (Freedom and determinism in Epictetus' Discourses).pdf
Tamaño:
888.15 KB
Formato:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Descripción:
Bloque de licencias
Mostrando 1 - 1 de 1
Nombre:
license.txt
Tamaño:
3.59 KB
Formato:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Descripción: