Discourses · Chapter
XXIII: Against Epicurus explained
Epictetus critiques Epicurus for acknowledging humanity's social nature yet advising against raising children and engaging in political life.
What happens
Epictetus critiques Epicurus for acknowledging humanity's social nature yet advising against raising children and engaging in political life. He argues that natural affection for offspring is unavoidable and that even animals care for their young, so humans should not abandon their parental duties.
Themes in this chapter
Social Duty and Friendship
Epictetus argues that humans are naturally social and have duties to their children and community, contrary to Epicurus's advice.
Desire and Aversion
Epicurus's fear of emotional trouble leads him to avoid child-rearing, but Epictetus shows this aversion conflicts with natural affection.
Characters to notice
Key passages
“Even Epicurus perceives that we are by nature social, but having once placed our good in the husk he is no longer able to say anything else.”
Epicurus recognizes our social nature, but because he defines the good as bodily pleasure, he cannot consistently uphold social duties.
Epictetus highlights the inconsistency in Epicurus's philosophy.
“For this reason, Epicurus says, that a man who has any sense also does not engage in political matters; for he knows what a man must do who is engaged in such things.”
Epicurus advises the wise to avoid politics because it inevitably brings trouble and demands difficult actions.
Epictetus criticizes this avoidance as contrary to human nature.
“But a sheep does not desert its own offspring, nor yet a wolf; and shall a man desert his child?”
Even animals care for their young, so how can a human abandon his own child?
Epictetus uses animal behavior to argue for natural parental affection.