"The tyranny of fortune" - Descartes, sounding like Epictetus

As pointed out by Robert Dobbin, in his introduction to The Discourses and Selected Writings.

Rene Descartes:

I undertook to conquer myself rather than fortune, and to alter my desires rather than change the order of the world, and to accustom myself to believe that nothing is entirely in our power except our own thoughts...Here, I think, is the secret of those ancient philosophers who were able to free themselves from the tyranny of fortune, or, despite suffering and poverty, to rival the gods in happiness.

Epictetus on harmonious obscurity - sounding like Epicurus

From the Enchiridion, chapter 24.

"Is lack of distinction bad?" If others cause your obscurity, meaning obscurity is external, then obscurity can not be bad (nor good, I suppose). "And how can you be 'a nobody in obscurity' when you only have to be somebody in the areas you control..."

"Which would you rather have, anyway - money, or a worthy and faithful friend? So why not support me to that end, rather than asking me to engage in behavior that involves the loss of these qualities?"

"It is enough if everyone plays their respective part."

"Whatever position you are equipped to fill, so long as you preserve the man of trust and integrity."

Epictetus, Plato and Popper on truth

In discussing sympathy for the ignorant, Epictetus approvingly quotes Plato:

"Every soul is deprived of the truth against its will."

Compare this with Popper's criticism of conspiracy theories of ignorance. Truth, Popper says, is hard to find and easy to lose. The failure of those around us to grasp the truth requires no elaborate explanation, no blame, no uncovering of any agent's intentional acts to hide and confuse. People can get confused, and stay confused, all on their own. It is the natural state of most people most of the time. Or as Plato suggests, ignorance need not be an act of will on anyone's part.

Epictetus applies this in Book I, Chapter 18 - "Don't be angry with wrongdoers." Epictetus suggests that thieves are acting in accordance with an undeniable law of human nature - that people conform to a view because they believe that is must be true, and they act according to what they believe is their best interest. Thieves are, of course, wrong both about what is true and what is in their interest, but this is a cause for pity, not anger.

Are those who focus on "externals" subhuman?

Epictetus, Discourses, Book II, Chapter 22:
"Just ask whether they put their self-interest in externals or in moral-choice. If it's in externals, you cannot call them friends, any more than you can call them trustworthy, consistent, courageous or free. You cannot even call them human beings, if you think about it."

Epictetus on friendship

In Discourses, Book II, 22, Epictetus essentially says that only wise men (people of virtue) can be true friends - after all if you are not dedicated to virtues like justice, honesty, loyalty and self-control, then what kind of friend can you be to someone else? And as an extension of this, people who are focused on externals - property, reputation, power - will turn on their "friends" as soon as doing so gives them an advantage in gaining those (external) things they truly crave.

So not only are the virtuous the only ones capable of being, and having, true friends, but since the virtuous are all virtuous in the same ways and all focused on the same priorities, the virtuous form a sort-of informal community of the like-minded who are all "friends" to each other.

"But if you hear of people who are sincere in identifying virtue with choice and the use of impressions, don't bother with whether they are members of the same family, or friends who've run together a long time; knowing this is enough to say with confidence that they are friends, just as it is enough to judge them fair and reliable."

With the attainment of virtue not only will one be "in a condition to befriend others - forming easy and natural relationships with like-minded people" but also one will know how to treat those who are not virtuous. Here Epictetus is tolerant, if pitying, when he notes that the virtuous are:

"...capable too of treating unenlightened souls with sympathy and indulgence, remembering that they are ignorant or mistaken about what's most important."

Why natural science

According to Epicurus, natural science frees us from superstition (or "myth"). We need to be free of superstitions because superstitions provoke anxiety (a form of pain, and pain in evil).

"Live your life without attracting attention."

"Happiness and blessedness do not belong to abundance of riches or exalted position or offices or power, but to freedom from pain and gentleness of feeling and a state of mind that sets limits that are in accordance with nature." - Epicurus