The Stoics and Epicureans had very different ethical theories, yet both claimed Socratic origins for their ideas. Explain both the Stoic and Epicurean ethical outlooks and show the Socratic roots of both.
For the Stoics, a rational and strong ego was all important when determining a moral or ‘good’ life. The ability to exercise complete emotional control and maintain a calm demeanor enabled one to have supreme control over ones emotions and not allow extreme emotions, or passions, to cause a disruption in one’s ability to make an appropriate ethical decision. By operating under this ethical code, an individual is able to strike a balance between their circumstances and their own free will. Although there will be circumstances that arise which may be unpleasant, the ethical imperative is always placed on the individual. This is where free will plays a large part in Stoicism. A person’s reaction and behavior in conjunction with their circumstances will portray their moral standing. Individuals who achieve the highest moral and intellectual perfection were referred to as sages and had the ability develop an enormous amount of self control thereby not allowing themselves to fall victim to poor judgment as they did not allow emotions to play a role in their decision making. Socratic roots can be seen in the embodiment of the sage. Socrates was famous for his self control and for placing an emphasis on individual responsibility and self-control. Famously he refused to escape from prison after he had been sentenced to death by the Athenian State. His justification for resisting the attempt to escape was framed along the lines of individual responsibility and he emphasized that he had a duty to obey the laws of the polis and as such would remain where he was. The influence is also seen via Socrates’ instantiation in Platonic dialogues, most notably his famous banning of the poets from the ideal Republic precisely because these poets were prone to fits of enthusiasmos or mania and inspiration, something which would upset the smooth rational order.
Use your promo and get a custom paper on
"Stoics and Epicureans".
Epicureans found that leading a modest life and attaining the highest pleasure meant to gain knowledge and not to succumb to personal desires. Material things could not be good in themselves and could therefore serve no other purpose than to pacify a personal desire. By eliminating the desire for material things, a person is able to focus their energy on attaining pleasure through knowledge and establishing an inner peace. This tranquility would envelop a person to the extent that they would be free from physical pain and fear. For the Epicureans, leading a life free from pain and fear allowed one to attain the highest level of happiness. This has its roots in the ethic theories of Socrates in the respect that Socrates encouraged a life that was fulfilled by seeking knowledge and becoming a virtuous individual without the need for material things or wealth. Once again this is demonstrated most explicitly in Plato’s Socratic dialogues. Examples of these include Socrates’s famous behavior at the ‘Symposium’ in which he, amongst the nobility and intellectual class of the city, refrains from an excessive intake of either wine or food and is able to maintain a rational argument throughout the evening whilst other characters degenerate. The Socratic conception of forms also seems to serve a precursor to Epicurean philosophy as Socrates, again when featured by Plato, teaches that material objects encountered in the world are imperfect instantiations of ideal forms which, whilst they have existence in a heavenly sphere, are only accessible to the intellect of the philosopher who is capable of meditating on them precisely by turning himself away from the material world. Despite this, an important difference would emerge as Epicureans would later deny the immortality of the soul, a crucial belief for Socratic teaching and ethical behavior.
