Maks, I think Epictetus would say that we make progress every time we judge an impression correctly, while we slide back every time we judge it incorrectly. In more layperson terms: every time you do something good you can count that as progress; every time you do something bad you are slipping a bit. No need to wait for the rack. Progress or lack thereof happens every day.
In part. The other part is that even when we know better we still fail to act appropriately. Aristotle called it akrasia, weakness of the will. Hence the need for constant training and what Epictetus called prosoche, attention.
It seems to be the same cookie every time. Every time acts of bad judgment are for the purpose to seek recognition or office. I will keep the cookie in mind!
Yes, we tend to make the same mistakes repeatedly. So did Marcus Aurelius, which why the Meditations is repetitive... Epictetus would say that's because we haven't settled on the kind of person we want to be. Yet.
“Wisdom’s” potency in and of itself hinges upon the act of “not being claimed” as a possession or object.
This insight is what unleashes the power to liberate for those who “love” wisdom. And as a consequence — for it’s unparalleled freedom that is experienced — this propels a person into a state of “awe” and wonder at the “marvel” that permeates the mind in it’s quest to know it.
Also, this portrayal of Socrates as a buffoon to disarm his audience while he engages in dialogue with them in the marketplace might have been gleaned from his experience in the Peloponnesian war where he demonstrated to friend and foe, just what a formidable warrior he was during a serious crisis such as armed battle.
Socrates knowing both sides of the coin and discovering for himself this deep love of wisdom gave him the skill to be dexterous in his personality that allowed him to act as a fool while his inner fortitude is that of a warrior.
He is the “catalyst” that started the ball rolling down through the ages inspiring, encouraging and enchanting the people from all walks of life who are lucky to have stumbled across his path. And to take up the challenge of Philosophy as a Way of Life -- discovering for themselves the “awe” that occurs once we begin to notice the “love” in our hearts for Wisdom -- that Socrates was pointing to.
What would be the moral progress for non sages? Can it only be determined on the rack? Or would minimizing suffering qualify as progress?
Maks, I think Epictetus would say that we make progress every time we judge an impression correctly, while we slide back every time we judge it incorrectly. In more layperson terms: every time you do something good you can count that as progress; every time you do something bad you are slipping a bit. No need to wait for the rack. Progress or lack thereof happens every day.
Hard to string together hours and days in correct judgment, but it makes sense. Thank you Massimo!
Would you say that be because one does not know his will?
In part. The other part is that even when we know better we still fail to act appropriately. Aristotle called it akrasia, weakness of the will. Hence the need for constant training and what Epictetus called prosoche, attention.
It seems to be the same cookie every time. Every time acts of bad judgment are for the purpose to seek recognition or office. I will keep the cookie in mind!
Yes, we tend to make the same mistakes repeatedly. So did Marcus Aurelius, which why the Meditations is repetitive... Epictetus would say that's because we haven't settled on the kind of person we want to be. Yet.
It works like being on a healthy diet: just because you eat a cookie once in a while it doesn't mean you have to give up the overall effort...
“Wisdom’s” potency in and of itself hinges upon the act of “not being claimed” as a possession or object.
This insight is what unleashes the power to liberate for those who “love” wisdom. And as a consequence — for it’s unparalleled freedom that is experienced — this propels a person into a state of “awe” and wonder at the “marvel” that permeates the mind in it’s quest to know it.
Also, this portrayal of Socrates as a buffoon to disarm his audience while he engages in dialogue with them in the marketplace might have been gleaned from his experience in the Peloponnesian war where he demonstrated to friend and foe, just what a formidable warrior he was during a serious crisis such as armed battle.
Socrates knowing both sides of the coin and discovering for himself this deep love of wisdom gave him the skill to be dexterous in his personality that allowed him to act as a fool while his inner fortitude is that of a warrior.
Indeed. The more I get to know about Socrates, the man or the "figure," as Hadot calls it, the more in awe I am.
He is the “catalyst” that started the ball rolling down through the ages inspiring, encouraging and enchanting the people from all walks of life who are lucky to have stumbled across his path. And to take up the challenge of Philosophy as a Way of Life -- discovering for themselves the “awe” that occurs once we begin to notice the “love” in our hearts for Wisdom -- that Socrates was pointing to.