The Stoic Jew

A Response to the Charge of Stoic Heartlessness: Feeling vs. Emotion (Epictetus – Enchiridion 16)

June 09, 2021 Rabbi Matt Schneeweiss Season 4 Episode 39
The Stoic Jew
A Response to the Charge of Stoic Heartlessness: Feeling vs. Emotion (Epictetus – Enchiridion 16)
Show Notes

Synopsis: In past episodes I’ve voiced my own critiques of Epictetus’s brand of Stoicism. Specifically, I’ve indicted him for advocating heartlessness, inhumanity, and sociopathy. I recently came across a defense of Epictetus against such charges. While it’s too early to tell whether this defense addresses all of my problems, I am certain that the distinction he makes between feeling and emotion will be useful in understanding Epictetus’s teachings, and (I hope) in implementing them in a healthy manner.

Related Episodes:
- Thinking Aloud About My Fundamental Disagreement with Epictetus (Epictetus – Enchiridion 8, Discourses 3:8)
- How the Jedi Order Gives Stoicism a Bad Name, Part 1: Yoda (Epictetus: Enchiridion 3,7) 

Sources:
- Epictetus, Enchiridion (The Handbook) 16
- Rambam: Mishneh Torah, Sefer ha’Mada, Hilchos Deios 2:3
- Ward Farnsworth, The Practicing Stoic: A Philosophical User’s Manual, Chapter 13, pp. 244-247
----------
If you have questions, comments, or feedback, I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to contact me at rabbischneeweiss at gmail.
----------
Stoic texts:
The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius
Letters from a Stoic Master (Seneca)
The Discourses of Epictetus
The Enchiridion (Handbook) of Epictetus
----------
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/rabbischneeweiss
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/rabbischneeweiss
Blog: https://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rmschneeweiss
"The Mishlei Podcast": https://mishlei.buzzsprout.com
"The Stoic Jew" Podcast: https://thestoicjew.buzzsprout.com
"Rambam Bekius" Podcast: https://rambambekius.buzzsprout.com
"Machshavah Lab" Podcast: https://machshavahlab.buzzsprout.com
"The Tefilah Podcast": https://tefilah.buzzsprout.com
Guide to the Torah Content of Rabbi Matt Schneeweiss: https://kolhaseridim.blogspot.com/2021/04/links-to-torah-content-of-rabbi-matt.html

Support the show