Synopsis: Today we're going to try an experiment ... The Stoic Jew Q&A! This experiment was suggested by my friend, Albert, and our first question was submitted (unknowingly) by another friend, Yoel Schaper, who asked me the question: "Are you a Stoic?" If you enjoy this episode, please send me more questions about the relationship between Stoicism and Judaism, about particular Stoic or Jewish ideas, or about real-world applications and scenarios. Maybe we can make this a monthly or a weekly thing!
Be sure to check out Yoel's podcast, The Johan Rene Podcast, if you're interested in "a wacky Dutch immigrant to the US talking about philosophy, religion, political thought, and culture."
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Epictetus – Enchiridion (The Handbook) 48:1-2
[1] The condition and character of the uneducated person (idiotes) is this: they never look for benefit or harm to come from themselves, but from external things. The condition and character of the philosopher (philosophos) is this: they look for every benefit and harm to come from themselves. [2] The signs that someone is making progress (prokopto) are these they blame no one, they praise no one, they find fault with no one, they accuse no one, they never say anything of themselves as though they amount to something or know anything. When they are impeded or hindered, they blame themselves. If someone praises them, they laugh inwardly at the person who praises them, and if anyone censures them, they make no defense. They go about as if they were sick, cautious not to disturb what is healing before they are fully recovered.
Epictetus – Enchiridion (The Handbook) 51:1-3
This is how Socrates attained perfection, by paying attention to nothing but reason in everything that he encountered. But even if you are not yet Socrates, you should live as someone who wishes to be Socrates.
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If you have questions, comments, or feedback, I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to contact me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail.
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Stoic texts:
The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius
Letters from a Stoic Master (Seneca)
The Discourses of Epictetus
The Enchiridion (Handbook) of Epictetus
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