"愛比克泰德,一位希臘斯多葛主義派哲學家,認為哲學是一種生活方式,而不僅僅是一種理論學科。對愛比克泰德來說,所有外部事件都超出了我們的控制;他主張我們應該平靜而無激情地接受任何發生的事情。然而,個人對自己的行為負責,可以通過嚴格的自律來檢查和控制這些行為。"
"Epictetus (/ˌɛpɪkˈtiːtəs/, EH-pick-TEE-təss;[3] Greek: Ἐπίκτητος, Epíktētos; c. 50 – c. 135 AD) was a Greek Stoic philosopher. He was born into slavery at Hierapolis, Phrygia (present-day Pamukkale, in western Turkey) and lived in Rome until his banishment, when he went to Nicopolis in northwestern Greece, where he spent the rest of his life. His teachings were written down and published by his pupil Arrian in his Discourses and Enchiridion.
Epictetus taught that philosophy is a way of life and not simply a theoretical discipline. To Epictetus, all external events are beyond our control; he argues that we should accept whatever happens calmly and dispassionately. However, individuals are responsible for their own actions, which they can examine and control through rigorous self-discipline.
No writings by Epictetus are known. His discourses were transcribed and compiled by his pupil Arrian (c. 86/89 – c. after 146/160 AD). The main work is The Discourses, four books of which have been preserved (out of the original eight). Arrian also compiled a popular digest, entitled the Enchiridion, or Handbook. In a preface to the Discourses that is addressed to Lucius Gellius, Arrian states that "whatever I heard him say I used to write down, word for word, as best I could, endeavouring to preserve it as a memorial, for my own future use, of his way of thinking and the frankness of his speech." In the sixth century, the Neoplatonist philosopher Simplicius wrote an extant commentary on the Enchiridion.
Epictetus maintains that the foundation of all philosophy is self-knowledge; that is, the conviction of our ignorance and gullibility ought to be the first subject of our study. Logic provides valid reasoning and certainty in judgment, but it is subordinate to practical needs. The first and most necessary part of philosophy concerns the application of doctrine, for example, that people should not lie. The second concerns reasons, e.g., why people should not lie. While the third, lastly, examines and establishes the reasons. This is the logical part, which finds reasons, shows what is a reason, and that a given reason is a correct one. This last part is necessary, but only on account of the second, which again is rendered necessary by the first.
Both the Discourses and the Enchiridion begin by distinguishing between those things in our power (prohairetic things) and those things not in our power (aprohairetic things).
That alone is in our power, which is our own work; and in this class are our opinions, impulses, desires, and aversions. On the contrary, what is not in our power, are our bodies, possessions, glory, and power. Any delusion on this point leads to the greatest errors, misfortunes, and troubles, and to the slavery of the soul.
We have no power over external things, and the good that ought to be the object of our earnest pursuit, is to be found only within ourselves.
The determination between what is good and what is not good is made by the capacity for choice (prohairesis). Prohairesis allows us to act, and gives us the kind of freedom that only rational animals have. It is determined by our reason, which of all our faculties, sees and tests itself and everything else. It is the correct use of the impressions (phantasia) that bombard the mind that is in our power:
Practice then from the start to say to every harsh impression, "You are an impression, and not at all the thing you appear to be." Then examine it and test it by these rules you have, and firstly, and chiefly, by this: whether the impression has to do with the things that are up to us, or those that are not; and if it has to do with the things that are not up to us, be ready to reply, "It is nothing to me."
We will not be troubled at any loss, but will say to ourselves on such an occasion: "I have lost nothing that belongs to me; it was not something of mine that was torn from me, but something that was not in my power has left me." Nothing beyond the use of our opinion is properly ours. Every possession rests on opinion. What is to cry and to weep? An opinion. What is misfortune, or a quarrel, or a complaint? All these things are opinions; opinions founded on the delusion that what is not subject to our own choice can be either good or evil, which it cannot. By rejecting these opinions, and seeking good and evil in the power of choice alone, we may confidently achieve peace of mind in every condition of life."
愛比克泰德(/ˌɛpɪkˈtiːtəs/,EH-pick-TEE-təss; 希臘語:Ἐπίκτητος,Epíktētos;大約50年-大約135年)是一位希臘斯多葛主義派哲學家。他在弗里吉亞的希拉波利斯(現今土耳其西部的棉花堡)出生為奴隸,並在羅馬居住,直到被放逐為止,他去了希臘西北部的尼科波利斯,並在那裡度過了餘生。他的教誨被他的學生阿裡安記錄下來並在他的《論述》和《兵書》中出版。
愛比克泰德,一位希臘斯多葛主義派哲學家,認為哲學是一種生活方式,而不僅僅是一種理論學科。對愛比克泰德來說,所有外部事件都超出了我們的控制;他主張我們應該平靜而無激情地接受任何發生的事情。然而,個人對自己的行為負責,可以通過嚴格的自律來檢查和控制這些行為。
我們不知道愛比克泰德的任何著作。他的演講是由他的學生阿裡安(c. 86/89 – c. after 146/160 AD) 記錄和編輯的。主要的作品是《論述》,其中保存了四本(最初的八本中的四本)。阿裡安還編撰了一本流行的摘要,稱為《兵書》,或譯作《手冊》。在致盧修斯·格列斯的《論述》的序言中,阿裡安聲明,“我聽到他說的任何事情,我都會儘我所能逐字記錄下來,努力將其保留下來,作為我們將來使用的記憶,以此記錄他的思維方式和他的言談真率。”在六世紀,新柏拉圖派哲學家辛普利修斯撰寫了《兵書》的現存注釋。
愛比克泰德認為,所有哲學的基礎都是自我認識;也就是說,我們的無知和易受欺騙的信念應該是我們研究的第一主題。邏輯提供了有效的推理和確定的判斷,但它服從於實際需要。哲學的第一部分和最必要的部分涉及到學說的應用,例如,人們不應該說謊。第二部分涉及原因,例如,為什麼人們不應該說謊。最後,第三部分檢查和確立原因。這是邏輯部分,找出原因,顯示什麼是原因,並且給出的原因是正確的。這最後一部分是必要的,但只是由於第二部分,而第二部分又是由第一部分帶來的。
《論述》和《手冊》一開始就區分了我們能力範圍內的事物(可選擇的事物)和不在我們能力範圍內的事物(非可選擇的事物)。
唯一在我們能力範圍內的,是我們自己的行為;在此類中,有我們的觀點、衝動、慾望和厭惡。相反地,不在我們能力範圍內的,是我們的身體、財產、榮耀和權力。在這一點上的錯覺會導致最大的錯誤、不幸和煩惱,以及靈魂的奴役。
我們無法控制外部事物,而我們應該認真追求的善,只能在我們自己內部找到。
判斷什麼是善,什麼不是善,是由選擇能力(prohairesis)決定的。選擇能力允許我們行動,並賦予我們只有理性動物才有的自由。它由我們的理性決定,而在我們所有能力中,理性可以看到並檢測自己和其他一切。在我們力量範圍內的是正確使用衝擊我們思想的印象(phantasia):
那麼從一開始就練習對每個強烈的印象說,「你只是一種印象,並不完全是你看起來的那樣。」然後根據你擁有的這些規則來審視它,檢驗它,首先,最主要的是:這個印象是否與我們力所能及的事物有關,或是與那些力所不及的事物有關;如果它與那些力所不及的事物有關,就準備好回答說,「這與我無關。」
我們不會因為任何損失而感到煩惱,而會在這樣的情況下對自己說:「我沒有失去屬於我的東西;被撕裂的不是我的東西,而是一些不在我的力量范圍內的東西離開了我。」超過我們觀點使用以外的一切都不真正屬於我們。每一個擁有都依賴於觀點。哭泣和哭泣是什麼?都是觀點。什麼是不幸、爭吵或抱怨?所有這些都是觀點;建立在這樣的錯覺之上的觀點,即不受我們自己選擇支配的東西既可以是善也可以是惡,而實際上它不能。通過拒絕這些觀點,並單單在選擇能力中尋找善與惡,我們可以自信地在生活的每一個狀態中達到內心的平靜。
1.
""But to be hanged—is that not unendurable?" Even so, when a man feels that it is reasonable, he goes off and hangs himself."
“被絞死,這不是難以忍受嗎?”即便如此,當一個人參透真理,他會絞死自己。
2.
"In a word, neither death, nor exile, nor pain, nor anything of this kind is the real cause of our doing or not doing any action, but our inward opinions and principles."
總之,死亡、流亡、痛苦等等,都不是我們做或不做任何事的真正原因,而是我們內心的意見和原則。
3.
"No thing great is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig, I answer you that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen."
沒有什麼偉大的事情是突然產生的,就像一串葡萄或無花果一樣。如果你告訴我你想要無花果,我會回答你請給他時間。讓它先開花,然後結果,然後成熟。
4.
"Were I a nightingale, I would act the part of a nightingale; were I a swan, the part of a swan."
如果我是夜鶯,我就扮演夜鶯;我是天鵝嗎,天鵝的一部分。
5.
"Practice yourself, for heaven's sake, in little things; and thence proceed to greater."
給上帝一個面子,在小事上鍛鍊自己;接著繼續茁壯。
6.
"It is difficulties that show what men are."
正是困難才顯示出男人的本質。
7.
"In theory there is nothing to hinder our following what we are taught; but in life there are many things to draw us aside."
理論上,沒有任何事物可以阻礙我們學習;但在生活中,卻有很多誘因。
8.
"The essence of the good is a certain kind of moral purpose, and that of the evil is a certain kind of moral purpose."
善的本質是某種道德目的,惡的本質是另一種道德目的。
9.
"For it is not death or pain that is to be feared, but the fear of pain or death."
因為可怕的不是死亡或痛苦,而是對痛苦或死亡的恐懼。
10.
"When I see someone in anxiety, I say to myself, What can it be that this fellow wants? For if he did not want something that was outside of his control, how could he still remain in anxiety?"
當我看到某人焦慮時,我對自己說,這個人到底想要什麼?因為如果他不想要一些超出他控制範圍的東西,他怎麼可能還處於焦慮之中?
11.
"What is the first business of one who practices philosophy? To get rid of self-conceit. For it is impossible for anyone to begin to learn that which he thinks he already knows."
實踐哲學的第一件事是什麼?才能擺脫自負。因為任何人都不可能開始學習他認為自己已經知道的東西。
12.
"If you would be a good reader, read; if a writer, write."
如果您想成為一名優秀的讀者,看;如果是作家,寫。
13.
"Know, first, who you are, and then adorn yourself accordingly."
首先,認識自己,然後相應地裝飾自己。
14.
"It was for this that I've been training myself, it was for this that I was practising."
我就是為了這個才鍛鍊自己,就是為了這個才修練。
15.
"Τίς εἶναι θέλεις, σαυτῷ πρῶτον εἰπέ: εἶθ' οὕτως ποίει ἃ ποιεῖς."
先告訴自己你會成為什麼樣的人;然後去做你必須做的事。
16.
"Don't you know that a good and excellent person does nothing for the sake of appearances, but only for the sake of having acted right?"
難道你不知道一個優秀的人做事不是為了虛榮,而是為了做對的事嗎?
17.
"Little is needed to ruin and upset everything, only a slight aberration from reason."
破壞和擾亂一切並不需要什麼,只需要一點點偏離理性。