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Single Idea 20874

[filed under theme 24. Political Theory / B. Nature of a State / 4. Citizenship ]

Full Idea

The commitment of the citizen is to have no private advantage, not to deliberate about anything as though one were a separate part.

Gist of Idea

A citizen is committed to ignore private advantage, and seek communal good

Source

Epictetus (The Discourses [c.56], 2.10.04)

Book Ref

'The Stoics Reader', ed/tr. Inwood,B/Gerson,L.P. [Hackett 2008], p.200

A Reaction

This is the modern problem of whether democratic voters are choosing for themselves or for the community. I think we should make an active effort at every election to persuade voters to aim for the communal good. Cf Rawls.

The 40 ideas from 'The Discourses'

23325 Epictetus developed a notion of will as the source of our responsibility [Epictetus, by Frede,M]
23324 In the Discourses choice [prohairesis] defines our character and behaviour [Epictetus, by Frede,M]
23331 Not even Zeus can control what I choose [Epictetus]
23338 You can fetter my leg, but not even Zeus can control my power of choice [Epictetus]
23339 I will die as becomes a person returning what he does not own [Epictetus]
23340 We consist of animal bodies and god-like reason [Epictetus]
23329 We make progress when we improve and naturalise our choices, asserting their freedom [Epictetus]
20873 Tragedies are versified sufferings of people impressed by externals [Epictetus]
23341 God created humans as spectators and interpreters of God's works [Epictetus]
23342 Freedom is acting by choice, with no constraint possible [Epictetus]
23330 Freedom is making all things happen by choice, without constraint [Epictetus]
23343 Because reason performs all analysis, we should analyse reason - but how? [Epictetus]
22604 Punishing a criminal for moral ignorance is the same as punishing someone for being blind [Epictetus]
23344 Reason itself must be compounded from some of our impressions [Epictetus]
23328 The essences of good and evil are in dispositions to choose [Epictetus]
23345 Don't be frightened of pain or death; only be frightened of fearing them [Epictetus]
23346 A person is as naturally a part of a city as a foot is part of the body [Epictetus]
23347 If I know I am fated to be ill, I should want to be ill [Epictetus]
23348 Both god and the good bring benefits, so their true nature seems to be the same [Epictetus]
23349 Asses are born to carry human burdens, not as ends in themselves [Epictetus]
23350 A wise philosophers uses reason to cautiously judge each aspect of living [Epictetus]
23351 We are citizens of the universe, and principal parts of it [Epictetus]
23352 A citizen should only consider what is good for the whole society [Epictetus]
20874 A citizen is committed to ignore private advantage, and seek communal good [Epictetus]
20875 If we could foresee the future, we should collaborate with disease and death [Epictetus]
23353 We have a natural sense of honour [Epictetus]
23354 If someone harms themselves in harming me, then I harm myself by returning the harm [Epictetus]
20876 Philosophy investigates the causes of disagreements, and seeks a standard for settling them [Epictetus]
23355 The task of philosophy is to establish standards, as occurs with weights and measures [Epictetus]
23356 Self-evidence is most obvious when people who deny a proposition still have to use it [Epictetus]
23357 Knowledge of what is good leads to love; only the wise, who distinguish good from evil, can love [Epictetus]
23358 Every species produces exceptional beings, and we must just accept their nature [Epictetus]
23332 Zeus gave me a nature which is free (like himself) from all compulsion [Epictetus]
23359 We can't believe apparent falsehoods, or deny apparent truths [Epictetus]
23360 Each of the four elements in you is entirely scattered after death [Epictetus]
23361 Health is only a good when it is used well [Epictetus]
23363 The evil for everything is what is contrary to its nature [Epictetus]
23362 All human ills result from failure to apply preconceptions to particular cases [Epictetus]
21394 Philosophy is knowing each logos, how they fit together, and what follows from them [Epictetus]
23364 Homer wrote to show that the most blessed men can be ruined by poor judgement [Epictetus]