#prohairesis

[raffaellopalandri]

Transforming Thought into Action: A Path to a Worthy and Purposeful Life

When properly used, the human mind is an extraordinary engine of ideas, reflections, and possibilities. Photo by KATRIN BOLOVTSOVA on Pexels.com Yet, the translation of thought into meaningful action remains one of the most challenging endeavours. Many individuals struggle with hesitation, fear, or procrastination, which hinders their ability to transform insights into concrete reality.…

[shininghorizon]

“VEUILLE QUE LES CHOSES ARRIVENT COMME ELLES ARRIVENT ET TU SERAS HEUREUX” (EPICTÈTE)

La citation d’Epictète, “Ne demande pas que ce qui arrive arrive comme tu veux. Veuille que les choses arrivent comme elles arrivent, et tu seras heureux”, se trouve au paragraphe VIII du Manuel et exprime un principe clé de la philosophie stoïcienne qui porte sur le bonheur et la tranquillité de l’âme obtenue grâce à l’ascèse.

ASCÈSE:

Effort visant à la perfection spirituelle par une discipline constante de vie. Manière de vivre de quelqu'un qui s'impose certaines privations.

Pour Epictète, le bonheur réside dans notre capacité à accepter les choses telles qu’elles se présentent, sans résistance ni attachement excessif à nos désirs ou attentes. Il suggère que la source de notre malheur réside souvent dans notre lutte contre les réalités inévitables de la vie et dans notre insatisfaction face à ce qui se produit alors même que le destin est tout à fait hors de nos prises et qu’il ne dépend pas de nous.

Ce qui dépend de nous, c’est à dire de notre faculté raisonnable libre (la prohairesis), c’est de cultiver une attitude de détachement par rapport aux circonstances extérieures. Plutôt que de s’accrocher à des attentes rigides ou de résister aux événements qui échappent à notre contrôle, Epictète invite à adopter une disposition mentale qui favorise l’acceptation et l’adaptation.

Cela ne signifie pas que nous devrions être passifs ou indifférents face aux événements, mais plutôt que nous devrions être capables d’accepter avec sérénité les situations que nous ne pouvons pas changer. Epictète soutient que notre bonheur dépend en grande partie de notre capacité à maîtriser nos pensées, nos jugements et nos émotions, plutôt que d’être déterminé par des circonstances extérieures sur lesquelles nous n’avons aucun contrôle. Bien souvent, ce ne sont pas les choses qui arrivent qui troublent la tranquillité de notre âme mais seulement les jugements que l’on porte sur ces choses.

[aboutanancientenquiry]

“The Ethics of Authorship: Herodotus in the Rhetorical Works of Dionysius of Halicarnassus

Abstract

This chapter studies Herodotus’s reception in the literary essays of Dionysius of Halicarnassus. Dionysius defends Herodotus’s narratorial behavior, including his choice of topic, his attitude toward his characters and readers, and his “ethics of representation.” The chapter demonstrates how Dionysius attributes “writerly lives” to his predecessors, in which authorship does not simply mirror one’s nature but rather depends on an active choice (prohairesis) for fair-minded representation. It suggests ways in which Dionysius’s positive acclamation of Herodotus involves his own kinetic imitation, and consequently the transportability of Herodotus’s voice into Dionysius’s literary criticism. The Herodotean ethos emerges as self-reflexive for Dionysius in his own critical role. The adoption of a Herodotean ethical persona through “submerged imitation” grounds Dionysius’s own self-portrait as a critic.”

Abstract of the Chapter I (’The Ethics of Authorship: Herodotus in the Rhetorical Works of Dionysius of Halicarnassus”) of the work of N. Bryant Kirkland  Herodotus and Imperial Greek Literature: Criticism, Imitation, Reception (OUP 2022)

Source:  https://academic.oup.com/book/43873/chapter-abstract/371038770?redirectedFrom=fulltext

[fdmclub]

Los estoicos son especialmente conocidos por enseñar que «la virtud es el único bien» para los seres humanos, y que esas cosas externas, como la salud, la riqueza y el placer, no son buenas o malas en sí mismas (adiaforía), pero tienen valor como «material para que la virtud actúe». Junto a la ética aristotélica, la tradición estoica constituye uno de los principales enfoques fundacionales de la ética de las virtudes. Los estoicos también sostenían que ciertas emociones destructivas son el resultado de errores de juicio y que las personas deberían cultivar una voluntad (llamada prohairesis) que esté «de acuerdo con la naturaleza». Sobre esta base, los estoicos pensaron que la mejor indicación de la filosofía de un individuo no era lo que decía sino cómo se comportaba. Para vivir una buena vida, postulan, hay que entender las reglas del orden natural.

[hoursofreading]

One of the most important concepts in Stoicism is also one of the most useful when facing the outcome (and aftermath) of a national election. I’m talking, of course, about Epictetus’s fundamental rule:

“Up to us are will and everything that results from will; not up to us are the body, the parts of the body, possessions, parents, brothers, children, the country of our birth, and in short, all the people with whom we associate.” (Discourses, 1.22.10)

Epictetus makes a sharp distinction between facts—which are out there, independent of our minds and, often, of our actions—and value judgments—which are the result of our prohairesis, our will, or reasoning faculty. Things out there do not come with labels attached to them that tell us whether they are good or bad. We evaluate those things, so-called externals, and decide whether they are good, bad, neutral, or whatever. Even things that may at first sight appear to be obviously bad, like death, can be assessed to be otherwise:

“People are troubled not by things but by their judgments about things. Death, for example, isn’t frightening, or else Socrates would have thought it so.” (Enchiridion, 5a)

So here are is the first practical lesson: I need to ask myself what, concerning the election, is or is not up to me. Up to me is the judgment of which candidate to prefer and why; also up to me is the judgment that such candidate deserves some of my money to help their campaign, and of course my vote tomorrow. Up to me, moreover, is to talk to people about what is going on in an attempt not to persuade but to reason together. That’s it. Everything else is not up to me. I don’t control the outcome of the election, whether such outcome will be recognized or overturned, whether people will respond civilly or with violence, what the courts will do about it, and so on. According to Epictetus, I need to do what is up to me and then prepare to accept what is not up to me with equanimity.

on elections

[tekdozilgi]

A Greek philosopher of 1st and early 2nd centuries C.E., and an exponent of Stoic ethics notable for the consistency and power of his ethical thought and for effective methods of teaching. Epictetus’s chief concerns are with integrity, self-management, and personal freedom, which he advocates by demanding of his students a thorough examination of two central ideas, the capacity he terms ‘volition’ (prohairesis) and the correct use of impressions (chrēsis tōn phantasiōn), Heartfelt and satirical by turns, Epictetus has had significant influence on the popular moralistic tradition, but he is more than a moralizer; his lucid resystematization and challenging application of Stoic ethics qualify him as an important philosopher in his own right.

[thewillproject]

Prohairesis

Prohairesis is a philosophical term that refers to the faculty of rational choice or decision-making. It was first used by Aristotle in his work "Nicomachean Ethics" to describe the capacity for choice that sets humans apart from other animals. The Stoics believed that prohairesis was the rational faculty of the soul that makes decisions and takes actions and that its development and training through philosophy was a key component of a virtuous life. Later, Neoplatonist philosopher Plotinus used the term to describe the faculty of the soul that participates in the divine will and helps the soul align with ultimate reality. In Stoicism, prohairesis was seen as the power of choice that allows people to react to impressions rationally and maintain equanimity. Epictetus saw prohairesis as the faculty that distinguishes humans from all other creatures and defined it as a rational faculty capable of using impressions, self-theoretical, and impossible to be enslaved.

For more information, see: The Will Project

[hime-memes]

                • Words You Never Thought Of • ( Part 1 )               

As someone who loves learning different languages, I bought a game from kick starter called ‘ Lost for Words ‘. The point of the game is to read the word that describes a feeling and then associate a memory you have of feeling that way to it. I just really wanted to share this game with the RPC because it’s one of my favorite games to play with friends, IRL.      ** Out of 300 cards, I have transcribed 80 below for this meme + additional questions. ** As always: Feel free to change anything within these that you see fit to make it work for the receiver’s muse ! Recommended For: Character Development.

Trigger Warnings For: N/A

1 | Prohairesis ( Greek ) - When has your muse experienced the practice of practical reasoning for making logical choices ? What choice did they have to make ? Are they still okay with that choice even now ?  2 | Feckful ( British / Scottish ) - When has your muse experienced feeling powerful, strong, and responsible ? Was it a justified feeling ?  3 | Toska ( Russian ) - When has your muse experienced deeply felt anguished sadness; a void of melancholy, possibly without a definitive known reason ? Describe the ways your muse physically expressed this feeling. 4 | Xodó ( Portuguese ) - When has your muse experienced both a feeling & a term of endearment; romantic or platonic; affection for a favorite at the same time ? Who was it ? Do they still make your muse feel this way ?  5 | Konfliktfa-higkeit ( German ) - When has your muse experienced using an approach to handling a conflict/problems fairly & without attachment ? What was this conflict and how easy was it to remain unbiased ? 6 | Verbivore ( English ) - When has your muse experienced someone who enjoys words & wordplay ? Do they like this person, or think they’re annoying ? 7 | Engentado ( Spanish ) - When has your muse experienced the feeling of being overwhelmed & disoriented when there are too many people around ? How did they handle this ?  8 | Resfeber ( Swedish ) - When has your muse experienced the excited and restless feeling in their heart just before traveling ? Where were they going and why ? Do they still get excited at the mention of this place ? 9 | Meriggiare ( Italian ) - When has your muse experienced the desire to take a rest at noon - potentially in the shade of a tree ? When do they feel this way the most ? 10 | Seny ( Catalan ) - When has your muse experienced being thoughtful & logical / acted with composure & integrity ?  11 | Koselig ( Norwegian ) - When has your muse experienced a time of cozy, warm togetherness & simple things that bring well-being and happiness to them ? Can you list some of the things that make them feel relaxed and happy ? 12 | Overskud ( Danish ) - When has your muse experienced the feeling of having extra energy ? Why did they feel this way ? Do they enjoy this feeling ? 13 | Nadryv ( Russian ) - When has your muse experienced an uncontrollable, ( possibly unreasonable ), emotional outburst of previously concealed feelings ? Were they alone when they experienced this, or unleash it onto someone else ? How did others view them after this outburst ? 14 | Waldeinsamkeit ( German ) - When has your muse experienced the feeling of being refreshed, connected, and serene while alone in the forest; ( literally translates to ‘ solitude of the forest ‘ ). What part of the forest makes them feel connected the most ?  15 | Fjaka ( Croatian ) - When has your muse experienced the sweet, relaxing, glorious feeling of doing nothing ?  How often can they afford to bask in this simplicity ?  16 | Voorpret ( Dutch ) - When has your muse experienced the feeling of anticipation and excitement before an event ? What was the event and how did it go ?  17 | Acatalepsy ( Greek ) - When has your muse experienced the idea that nothing is certain; that being human is impossible to fully comprehend & at best all we have are guesses ? Does this feeling make them uncomfortable ? 18 | Sillage ( French ) - When has your muse experienced the wake of someone’s perfume/cologne that lingers after they’ve gone ? How does this memory play out in their mind ? What scent was it that cemented this memory in their mind ? Who was the scent’s wearer ? 19 | Gigil ( Tagalog ) - When has your muse experienced the feeling of being so overpowered by the cuteness of someone/something that you want to pinch them ?  20 | Hygge ( Danish ) - When has your muse experienced a feeling of cozy contentment as they just enjoyed life ? How long did the feeling last ? 21 | Apaixonar ( Portuguese ) - When has your muse experienced falling in love with someone or something after being infatuated with them ? Did things pan out ? Are they still on good terms with this person ? 22 | Hianyerzet ( Hungarian ) - When has your muse experienced the feeling that something is missing ? Was it a relief, or a heartache ? Have they since overcome this feeling ? 23 | Sophrosyne ( Greek ) - When has your muse experienced the feeling of having caution, wisdom, honesty & self-control. How honest is your muse with themselves and others ? would other people agree with their aforementioned answer ? 24 | Catra Patra ( Turkish ) - When has your muse experienced speaking a language imprecisely & messily ? Was this for part of a job, travel, etc. ? Did they ever get better at it ? 25 | Goya ( Urdu ) - When has your muse experienced being captivated & transported by wonderful storytelling / conversation ? Who was the one telling them/talking to them ? What was your muse’s favorite part of the experience ? 26 | Ichigo-Ichie ( Japanese ) - When has your muse experienced the concept of noticing & treasuring each unique moment as an opportunity because it will never happen again ? What moment(s) were these and how do they feel when looking back on them ? 27 | Gunnen ( Dutch ) - When has your muse experienced thinking someone deserves something good; feeling joy of another’s achievement without jealousy ? Is this how they normally feel about others’ success ? 28 | Matutolypea ( English ) - When has your muse experienced being in a terrible mood as soon as they woke in the morning ? What made them feel this way ? Did they take it out on everyone else ? 29 | Zweisamkeit ( German ) - When has your muse experienced that feeling of being wrapped up as part of a romantic couple ? Do they still think of this person / these people fondly, or did love grow cold between them ?  30 | Ataraxia ( Greek ) - When has your muse experienced a condition of peaceful calmness ? Was it a good feeling, or an ominous one ? 31 | Limerence ( English ) - When has your muse experienced a feeling of obsessive infatuation with someone who doesn’t return their affections that often brings on intrusive daydreaming ? How do they feel about this dynamic ? Can they win over the uninterested party ?  32 | Nepakartojama ( Lithuanian ) - When has your muse experienced a feeling of something unique & wonderful that will never happen again ? What was this event ?  33 | Aylyak ( Bulgarian ) - When has your muse experienced living without worries or rushing; having a breezy, easy approach to life ? Did this approach last long ? Have they helped anyone else see life this way ? 34 | Magari ( Italian / Greek ) - When has your muse experienced expressing hope, a wish, a desire etc. ? Did they get what the desired ? Were they happy with the outcome ? 35 | Scatenarsi ( Italian ) - When has your muse experienced the ability to run wild; to rampage; to simply break free ? Can you tell us about it in detail ? What was the most freeing aspect of this break away ?  36 | Ongubsy ( Boro ) - When has your muse experienced actually loving someone from their whole heart ? Who was this person ? What were they like ? How did they respond to your muse’s love ? 37 | Santosha ( Sanskrit ) - When has your muse experienced complete contentment & satisfaction ? How often do they get to feel this way ? 38 | A darui ( Romanian ) - When has your muse experienced the desire to make someone happy ( be that through giving a gift, assistance, or their love ) ? Who was it for and did that person appreciate it ? Does your muse regret this ? 39 | Mumpish ( British ) - When has your muse experienced feeling sulky & grumpy ? What puts them in this mood ? How can someone get them out of it ? 40 | Niksen ( Dutch ) - When has your muse experienced the feeling of doing nothing in order to relax and let go of tension ? Was this successful ? How quickly did the tension return ? 41 | Jeong ( Korean ) - When has your muse experienced the feeling of having a bonded relationship, complete with love, affection, and nurturing of those close attachments ? Do they still regard these relationships favorably, or do they feel foolish about them now ? Why do they feel this way ?  42 | Gjensynsglede ( Norwegian ) - When has your muse experienced feeling joyful to see someone after a long time apart ? What was the nature of their departure and how long were they apart ? Has this become a core memory for your muse ?  43 | Napleiten ( Dutch ) - When has your muse experienced repeatedly and argumentatively go over something that has already been discussed & resolved ? What can’t your muse let this go ? How often do they think over this topic ? Who;s the person they argue with about it ? 44 | Dóchas ( Irish ) - When has your muse experienced hope, trust & reliance in a person or thing ? Was their trust well placed ? Who was this person/thing ? Would your muse still trust them / it ? 45 | Lalochezia ( Greek ) - When has your muse experienced a feeling of relief and satisfaction after using profanities ? What swear words are their favorite & how often do they use them ? Can you describe the latest time your muse experienced this ? What was the last straw before the deluge of profanities ?  46 | Latibule ( English ) - When has your muse experienced a secret, cozy, and safe hiding place for comfort and peace ? Who would you your muse like to share this place with ? Where is this place ? Is it a place, a book, a hobby ? When was the last time your muse visited this spot ? 47 | Litost ( Czech ) - When has your muse experienced the sudden abrupt awareness of anger, misery, and pure embarrassment when they’ve been hurt by someone ? What was the situation that led to this realization ? Can they remember who made them feel this way ? Did they ever make amends with them ?  48 | Gelijkhebberig ( Dutch ) - When has your muse experienced the resolved & stubborn feeling that they know best and they are absolutely right ? Are they actually right ? What does their body language look like while the defend their point, idea, etc. ? 49 | Boghz ( Persian ) - When has your muse experienced that catch in their throat when negative emotions are about to bubble up and burst ? Were they able to keep themselves composed - or - did they blow up ? Was there something that prompted them to simply let it go ? 50 |  Yugen ( Japanese ) - When has your muse experienced the feeling of thinking about the vast universe, and the mystery of it all feels overwhelming -- they they’re lost for words ? Do they find this a comfortable or uncomfortable feeling & why ? Do they ever voice this feeling ? To whom ?  51 | Truno ( Icelandic ) - When has your muse experienced having a separate & private conversation full of confessions, feelings, and secrets with one other person while they were drinking ? Who was this person ? Is there someone else they desire to experience this with ? What was one thing they told this person that no one else knows about them ? 52 | Dwaal ( South African English ) - When has your muse experienced a dreamy and distracted state of mind ? What had them feeling this way ? What mannerisms did they exhibit while under the spell of this feeling ?  53 | Ruinenlust ( German ) - Has your muse ever experienced an obsession with ruins and feel pleasure being in the wreckage of what once was ? Do they have a love of history ? What are there favorite ruins to be in or explore ? Why do they feel this way ? 54 | Tiwonana ( Chichewa ) - When has your muse experienced the need for a more hopeful way to say goodbye / ‘ We will see each other ‘ ? Were they lying to themselves when this happened ? Is it something they willingly talk about, or do they pretend it didn’t happen ? In contrast, did things turn out well for them ?  55 | Numinous ( English ) - When has your muse experienced the feeling that they were in the the presence of something supernatural, mysterious, or magical / sensed a mystical power ? What was this thing ? How did this experience effect your muse ? How did they explain this experience to themselves ? Do they still think about this occasionally ?  56 | Voler Bene ( Italian ) - When has your muse experienced platonic love in their friendships and all the emotions that come with it - being fond of someone, true affection and care ? Who do they feel this way for the most ? Who is this person to them ? 57 | Ataoso ( Spanish ) - When has your muse experienced someone who sees flaws in everything ? What kind of toll does this person’s attitude take on your muse ? Who is this person ? What does your muse think their motive is for holding this view point ? 58 | Razliubito ( Russian ) - When has your muse experienced the feeling of no longer being in love, but still holding bittersweet sentiments of nostalgia towards someone ? Who is this person ? How does your muse see them in their mind’s eye ? What made that love run out ?  59 | Idunnu ( Yoruba ) - When has your muse experienced intense indescribable happiness ?  60 | Sabsung ( Thai ) - When has your muse experienced their heart and mind being replenished & they felt happy to be alive again ? Was this a turning point for them, or a temporary respite from their usual ills ? 61 | Kokua ( Hawaiian ) - When has your muse experienced wanting to help with no expectations for getting anything in return ? Do they regret that now ? Would they do it again ? Who would they go out of their way for like this ?  62 | Hrepenenje ( Slovenian ) When has your muse experienced feeling nostalgic for something they haven’t experienced yet ? What is this thing ? Will they ever get to experience it ?  63 | Cwcth ( Welsh ) - When has your muse experienced an embrace saved for those closest to them during a sentimental time / a safe hug for special people in their life ? How badly do they want / need this experience ? 64 | Ramé ( Balinese ) - When has your muse ever had the combined experience & feeling of chaos and joy combining ? What was this incident ? Was it a positive or negative event ? How did it affect other people besides your muse ? Would your muse relive this experience again willingly ? 65 | Antsafa ( Malagasy ) - When has your muse experienced that moment of asking questions about something they already knew the answers to ? What was this event ? How did your muse feel about it ? Are there other emotions they also attribute to this event ? 66 | Ayurnamat ( Inuktitut ) - Does your muse have the belief that things just happen; They don’t worry about the stuff they can’t change, it simply is what it is ? What made them adopt this policy / POV ? Is this healthy way for your muse to function, or do they hide behind it as a sheild against something else ?  67 | Erklarungsnot ( German ) - When has your muse experienced that feeling of being put on the spot to explain themselves & they didn’t exactly have an excuse ready ? Did they weasel their way out of this scenario ? Is there anyone in their life that can auto-clock when they’re lying ? Who might that be, if so ? 68 | Awumbuk ( Baining ) - When has your muse experienced immense sadness upon company leaving their dwelling ? Was it temporary - or more permanent ? Why did this person walk away; was it for better or worse ? Would your muse go back and stop them if given the chance ? 69 | Lebensluge ( German ) - When has your muse experienced fabrications or lies they created themselves in order to move on in their life? How many times has your muse lied to themselves  in a bid to keep moving on ?  70 | Elvagyodas ( Hungarian ) - When has your muse experienced wanderlust, but with the added feeling of longing & sadness to simply get away and escape ? What would they do for this freedom ? Where would they go to be happiest ?  71 | Kaitiakitanga ( Maori ) - When has your muse experienced the desire to conserve, preserve, and care for their environment ? What changes have they made in their lifestyle to accommodate this viewpoint ? Do they really believe they’ll make a change, or is it for show ? 72 | Shenmei Pilao ( Chinese ) - When has your muse experienced the feeling of being overwhelmed by beauty that they’ve become bored by it ? What do they feel a good palette cleanser was that helped them move past this boredom ?  73 | Yuanfen ( Chinese ) - Has your muse ever felt like certain relationships with people / places / things are fated to pull together through destiny ? Who or what are these things ? Did your muse ever try to deny fate and destiny ? Did it catch up to them, or did they come around to the idea on their own ? 74 | Recherche ( French ) - Is there someone in your muse’s life that they’d describe as rare, easily misunderstood & under appreciated with a side of unique elegance & pricelessness ? Who might that be and why does your muse feel this way ? Have they told this person about this feeling ? Are they ever going to ?  75 | Emakou ( Gilbertese ) - When has your muse experienced a hidden sadness ? Was it their own, or someone else’s ? How did they deal with this ? Are they still troubled by it ?  76 | Besa ( Albanian ) - When has your muse experienced the need to keep a promise ? Did they do so ? Did they instead break this promise ? What would they do to keep a promise to the people they care the most for ? 77 | Ohanami ( Japanese ) - When was the last time your muse admired flowers ? Do they have a favorite plant / flower ? Is there significance in that choice ? 78 | Mamihla-Pinatapai ( Yahgan ) - Has your muse ever experienced wanting to start something with someone else, but neither acts out because they don’t want to be the first ? Who is this person and what did your muse want to start with them ? Have the found the courage to make the first move ?  79 | Kekau ( Indonesian ) - What happens when your muse awakens after a nightmare ? Tell us about their mannerisms. What do their nightmares consist of ? Do they ever talk about them & does this help ? 80 | Phosphenes ( English ) - Has your muse ever experienced the stars / colors / shapes people see when they close their eyes ? Can you tell us what your muse sees when they close their eyes ? Are they simply shape and colors, or do those converge into memories ? Can they shake this experience off if it’s unpleasant, or do they actually enjoy it ?

[felsefebilim]

Prohairesis ve Dihairesis Kavramları

Epiktetos, köle olarak doğup sonrasında kölelikten kurtulmuş bir filozoftur, kendi adı bilinmemekle beraber ona Epiktetos denmesinin bir nedeni vardır. Epiktetos, kelime olarak elde edilen, kazanılmış olan anlamına gelir... Yani Epiktetos, köleyken azat edilerek özgürlüğünü kendisi kazanmış ve bu adı hak etmiştir.

Köleyken bile felsefeyle ilgilenen ve Stoa Felsefesine ilgi duyan Epiktetos, stoacı anlayışa göre bir yaşan sürmüştür. O, düşüncelerinde -eski yaşamının da etkisiyle- kendi hayatlarımızın efendisi olmamız gerektiğini savunmuştur. Epiktetos’tan öğrencilerine kalan iki önemli kavram vardır. Bunlar prohairesis ve dihairesis’dir. Prohairesis, insanların diğer varlıklardan ayrılmasına sebep olan yetidir. İsteme, vazgeçme, hem fikir olma gibi eylem ve davranışları yapmamıza sebep olur. Prohairesis ışığında bu davranış ve eylemleri yapmamız ise dihairesis’dir. İyi ve kötü, prohairesis yetisinde bulunur. Yani burada halk dilinde bir tabirle; önemli olan niyettir de diyebiliriz, bu niyet bizim eylemlerimizin iyi veya kötü olmasına sebep olur. Buna dikkat etmiş ve Epiktetos’un bu iki kavramına göre yaşamış, iyiye yönelmiş olan kişiler, mutluluğa ulaşabilir.

[projectjust]

Brief intermission

BRIEF INTERMISSION PRO

I bring up this notion of prohairesis for the simple reason that any attempt to advance and excel beyond the ordinary into the extraordinary is bound to attract and manifest atypical, unusual challenges or difficulties, ones that have never been encountered or experienced before. Posted: March 30 at 4:45 PM In the recent days of shelter in place, many have found.

BRIEF INTERMISSION PRO

Reasoned choice ~ prohairesis, as the Stoics called it ~ is a kind of invincibility exemplified with calm and care, like the seasoned media pro who shrugs off hostile attacks, breezes through pressures and problems, and then, when finished, pointing back into the crowd and saying, “Next!” Brief Intermission: A Preview of the Theater Business After COVID-19. What started as a blog post two weeks ago is fast becoming a treatise on the ultimate in personal fulfillment, involving classical, philosophical notions such as hedonia, eudaimonia, entheos, hērōs, euthymia, arêté, the summum bonum, and prohairesis (pr. Bangor, ME In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Penobscot Theatre Company has made the difficult decision to postpone the remainder of their 46th season. It’s been obviously a year of trying to build momentum out of the pandemic, said Wes Drummond, Executive Director of The Duluth Playhouse. Recently, some have made the hard decision to cancel or postpone performances. I find myself in the middle of a dry run to articulate the ultimate in personal fulfillment. A brief intermission The ceasefire holds uneasily, but tension in eastern Ukraine will still trouble the governments in both Kiev and Moscow Sep 13th 2014 DONETSK, KIEV AND MOSCOW THE war in. (KBJR 6) -The Omicron-variant fueled rise in COVID cases has made a big impact on Twin Ports arts organizations. Russia and Ukraine A brief intermission The ceasefire holds uneasily, but tension in eastern Ukraine will still trouble the governments in both Kiev and Moscow.

[ironjohnredcognition]

Marionette

h/t @afx626

If you want to make the other person powerless, you need something from them. That thing you need is where the weakness is. That is what I would chisel away at next. Aurelius would say that the world is full of evil people. Therefore, you should expect to meet them, and should not be surprised when you do, and should not take it personally.

This is a tall order. Let me explain.

Neither of you can directly perceive the other. You have to take in images and sounds through noisy, distorted sensory channels, combine this with faded memory and enormous piles of assumptions (which are never wholly accurate) and social impulses that seemingly arise out of nothing, and then form impressions from this morass. Those impressions are what you are both actually mad at.

You are both playing with marionettes that you have confused with reality. The thing you want to deprive of power is entirely within your own head, and has nothing to do with the genuine article. You may as well throw darts at a picture of someone.

The more you internalize this, the more you will genuinely not care. If that is your only goal, then your only concern will be that which is within your power, and the weakness of having to get back at someone will not be there.

Until you get there, that impression you have formed of the other person will be free to torment you. It will come after you with a whip. You better get back at them! You better take their power! But it isn't really them. You are being pursued by that same marionette.

If the other person (the actual one) wants to torment you, you are doing their work for them. If you got them all wrong and they're not interested, it's somehow even more ridiculous. That is the mental machinery that you have to dismantle and replace with something better.

One of the primary tools of the Stoic is to withhold assent (agreement) with impressions. An impression says "homework sucks lol" and you answer it with "living on a sheet of cardboard under the freeway sucks more lol."

Practice withholding assent in easy matters to get better at it overall. Do you eat two scoops of ice cream or will one do? How about one. You feel the impulse to take your phone out, and you don't. If you spend too much time on Reddit or whatever else, set an app timer. You feel the impulse to disable the timer? "Not today, Satan."

It would frankly take hours to look up all the references, but here are a few concepts from Aurelius:

Your mind is a fortress. What is outside it cannot get inside. (NOT JUST WHEN YOU STUB YOUR TOE. This applies to gravely serious matters as well. He had over a dozen children, and had to bury many of them. And he lived through a plague, and so on.)

Your Directing Mind exists at the apex of consciousness.

Impressions exist to serve the Directing Mind. If one of them is troubled, that is its concern, and not the Directing Mind's problem.

The Directing Mind should put to use every resource before it.

And, of course, Aurelius, and Epictetus, and Xeno, and the rest, spoke of the power of assent (prohairesis), the ability to decide whether or not to believe an impression, even if it seems patently obvious that it must be true.

How I came to array these concepts and connect them together: Hard times + ancient Stoic literature + intense journaling.

There were some other things that helped, such as The Fifth Agreement by Don Miguel Ruiz. (He may well be a plastic shaman, but that book taught me not to believe everything I think.) I also figured out many years ago that within a brain, information is generated in one place and interpreted in another, and that other place could theoretically reject the information as invalid, no matter how convincing

You form an impression of this creature and the heinous thing they have done, and another impression rises up and directs hate lasers at it. Now two phantoms are fighting in your head, filling your blood with cortisol, and you're spending all your energy on that instead of figuring out what to do.

Instead, you can interpret the anger as a signal, and let its energy drive the strategy with which you will respond. Think of it this way: you can do a wicked person's work on their behalf and let your impression of their doings drive you in circles, or you can lay plans and bring them to fruition. Not to satisfy your hate, which can NEVER be satisfied, but to produce the best outcome.

Your job is to remove what is generating that signal in the first place. Hate really means "do something, do your best, remove my reason to exist as a signal in your mind." You have to be somewhat analytical about this.

Your impression of the evil person can be turned from a hate magnet into a useful tool. You can interrogate it. What are this person's motivations, weaknesses? If you do some particular thing, what is their likely response? Think also of the victim. What can you do for them? The most just thing is the best possible outcome for them and that's not about you or your feelings or impressions. Place yourself at their service.

It is the difference between you using your tools, and them using you. Let your compassion for the victim serve as motivation to convert hate into resolve. Hate is like a band saw, great for a very limited set of tasks, but not something you just want to leave running while you run around flailing your limbs. The moment you're aware of it, it has already served its purpose.

Aurelius said that evil people exist, and to suppose you'll never meet one is foolish. It is an EXPECTED part of life to encounter them, and to have to figure out what to do about them. Don't focus on the "wrongness" of what they do. The second you think it's wrong you already know your opinion about it, and dwelling on that has no useful output; you are just telling yourself what you already know and bathing in the awfulness of it. What you do in response is all that matters.

[thesupergamercorpus]

I already heard multiple times about Bloom’s taxonomy of learning but never really cared to really read about it further. The book ‘Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning’ introduced the concept and stoked my curiosity to learn more about Bloom’s taxonomy. One concept that I used before to learn things faster and with more depth was Kolb’s experiential learning theory which goes as follows: experience, observe, conceptualize, and experiment.

So Kolb’s theory was mostly intended to use in practical settings but I managed to applicate it to theoretical situations too.

I. Experience

So the first phase starts with experience. You simply experience something. Through a phase called synthesis, which I will explain later, I linked experience with what the Stoics called prohairesis, which means the things you perceive without any judgement, feelings, emotions etc. The next phase is where judgement does take place, albeit it doesn’t have to be necessarily perceived as ‘good’ or ‘bad’.

II. Observe

This is the phase where you start using your consciousness to analyze something. An example could be:

Experience → pain

Observation → in my left arm

Or you could observe something else or go deeper:

Observation2 → …because I fell on my left arm

Or you could add a judgment:

Observation3 → …I must have been stupid

So you are adding something on top of the ‘unconscious observations’ like feeling pain. When you judge something as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ or something inbetween, the Stoics called that hypolapsis. One of the teachings in Stoicism is to remain factual, or at least, not to burden yourself with extra pain that you created on top of the experience.

III. Conceptualize

When you conceptualize something, you mostly use inductive reasoning. The way I imagine inductive versus deductive reasoning is by imagining a puzzle. When you use inductive reasoning, you increase the surface area of the puzzle. How do you increase the surface area of the puzzle? By putting the puzzle pieces in a coherent manner together. The same mnemonic can be used for deductive reasoning. You decrease the surface area of the puzzle by taking the puzzle pieces apart.

An example of inductive reasoning

You read two different stories about a child growing up in poverty. The first story describes how the child sees his circumstance as a problem through all kinds of ways like complaints and anger. The second story describes a different child that sees his life as an opportunity by, for example, teaching himself to remain humble even when he becomes rich later in his life.

Through inductive reasoning, we put the (two) puzzle pieces together and give form to the puzzle. We now see the whole of the image and although everyone experiences images differently, I experience this ‘image’ as that of relativism. Namely, that nothing is inherently good or bad one makes it so through their definitions of good or bad (or anything else) or the comparisons they make etc.

Deductive reasoning

Deductive reasoning would be the opposite. We have the whole puzzle piece (e.g. relativism) and strip it down to pieces (good and bad, advantage and disadvantage etc).

So back to the third phase, conceptualize. You essentially put the puzzle pieces that you have observed together and give form to the big puzzle.

IV. Experiment

Now the fourth phase, although you can do this phase inbetween the other phases (and so you can do that with the other phases too), is you experiment with what you have conceptualized. You can ask questions like:

“Does relativism work in every situation? Why or why not?”

“What factors determine a relativistic situation? (I.e. the comparisons you make and the definitions you give to the words ‘good’ and ‘bad etc.)

And so on…

Although Kolb’s experiential learning theory is a pretty neat one I have learned and applicated, I felt that I could have made a better one (for myself). The follow-up chapter will be called Bloom’s taxonomy of learning.

[jkkimsworld-blog]

신념 없는 ‘선택’에 집착하는 한국 정치 중국 위(魏)·촉(蜀)·오(吳) 3국시대를 배경으로 쓰인 나관중의 장회소설(章回小說) ‘삼국지연의’(삼국지)는 천하패권을 놓고 벌이는 영웅들의 지략과 의리, 흥미진진한 무용담으로 인해 남녀노소 변함없이 사랑받는 열독서다. 삼국지에는 유비·관우·장비·제갈량·조조·사마의·손권 등 셀 수 없을 만큼 수많은 영웅들의 이야기와 도원결의·삼고초려·천하삼분지계·적벽대전·제갈량의 출사표 등의 장엄한 스토리는 어느 역사소설도 흉내 내지 못할 만큼 논리적이�� 신비하기까지 하다. 저 마다 다르겠지만 가장 흥미 있는 장면은 적벽대전에서 패한 조조를 관우가 살려준 대목을 꼽을 수 있다. 적벽대전은 손권의 오나라·유비의 촉나라 연합군과 조조의 위나라 간에 벌어진 대규모 전투다. 수백 척의 군함과 30만 대군을 이끈 조조는 천하통일을 꿈꾸며 오나라로 쳐들어 갔지만 오·촉 연합군의 연환계(連環計)와 화공(火攻)에 걸려 대패하고 만다. 이때 조조의 퇴로를 예측한 제갈량은 관우를 화용도로 보내 조조의 목을 가져오게 한다. 관우는 과거 조조에게 몸을 의탁한 적이 있었는데, 조조는 관우의 충성심과 의리에 탄복해 적토마와 많은 재물을 내리는 등 그를 후대했다. 의심 많고 독선적인 조조였지만 관우에게 만큼은 온갖 정성을 다해 예우했다. 관우는 그때의 은혜를 잊지 못해 독안에 든 쥐 신세인 조조를 차마 죽일 수 없었던 것 같다. 조조를 제거해야 유비가 천하통일을 할 수 있다는 사실을 유비의 분신과도 같은 관우가 모를 리 없었을 것이다. 그러나 무엇보다 신의를 소중히 여기는 관우는 과거의 은혜를 갚기 위해 조조를 살려 보낸다. 삼국지의 여러 장면중에서도 관우가 조조를 살려 준 대목은 600여년에 걸쳐 많은 이들의 논쟁거리가 돼 왔다. ‘관우의 선택은 최선이었을까’, ‘내가 관우라면 어떤 선택을 했을까’에서 부터 ‘사사로운 의리를 위해 대의를 잊었다’는 혹평과 ‘대의에 앞서 의리를 지켰다’는 평가까지 다양한 반응은 현재까지 이어지고 있다. 하지만 아쉽게도 이 논쟁의 정답은 없다. 관우는 답답할 정도로 신념과 의리를 지킨 인물이다. 이익과 의리 사이에서 갈등하는 관우는 상상할 수 없다. 그는 ‘최선의 선택’을 한 것이 아니라 단지 자신의 신념에 따라 행동했을 뿐이다. 이후 감당해야 할 ‘군령을 어긴 죄-참수형’도 감수했을 것이다. 우리는 누구나 ‘최선의 선택’ 또는 ‘합리적 선택’을 위해 고민하고 노력한다. 그렇다고 ‘최선의 선택’이 ‘최고의 결과’로 나타나지 않는다. ‘선택’은 인간의 한계를 넘어선 영역에 존재하기에 우리는 평생 어리석은 짓만 하며 살아간다고도 볼 수 있다. 선택(選擇)은 ‘여럿 가운데 가장 필요한 것을 뽑는다’는 사전적 문구 이상의 의미를 담고 있다. 고대 그리스 철학은 선택(prohairesis)을 ‘의지’, ‘결의’, ‘도덕적 선택’ 등으로 해석하고 있다. 개인적 의지로 이룰 수 없는 ‘선택’에 집착할 때 인간은 자유로부터 억압받는다고 본 것이다. ‘최선의 선택’ 또는 ‘합리적 선택’을 위해 노력 할 수는 있지만, 그 자체를 이룰 수는 없다. 요즘 정치권이 ‘선택’의 문제를 놓고 분주하다. 자유한국당 친(親)박계, 비(非)박계가 ‘최고의 합리적 선택’이라며 저마다 내놓은 당 혁신안 뒤에는 당권 장악을 위한 계산이 깔려있다. 조만간 비상대책위원장, 새 당 대표, 새 지도부를 뽑을 것이다. 승리한 쪽은 ‘최고의 합리적 선택’이라며 축배를 들 것이다. 하지만 정치적 신념에 기반을 두지 않은 선택은 당장은 결과가 좋더라도 머지않아 자충수(自充手)나 패착(敗着)으로 되돌아온다. 지방선거에서 압승을 거둔 민주당 자치단체장들은 저마다 ‘최선의 합리적 선택’이라며 각종 정책들을 내놓는다. 하지만 그 이면에는 문재인 정부에 코드를 맞추려는 그림자가 자주 엿 보인다. ‘최고의 선택’을 해야 한다면 자신의 신념에 따라 결정하는 것이 옳다. 풍요로운 국가, 사랑받는 정치인의 배경에는 언제나 ‘도덕적 신념’에 따른 선택이 있었음을 간과하지 말아야 한다. 혼란의 시기임에도 인간과 세상을 대하는 신념을 지킨 관우의 모습은 정말 매력적이다. [김진강 기자 / 행동이 빠른 신문 ⓒ스카이데일리] #중국 #나관중 #삼국지연의 #삼국지 #자유한국당 #민주당 #무용담 #열독서 #유비 #관우 #장비 #제갈량 #조조 #사마의 #손권 #도원결의 #삼고초려 #적벽대전 #출사표 #연환계 #화공 #화용도 #적토마 #천하통일 #문재인

[kaiden-chase-blog]

Ted Talk

I wanted to share one of my favourite Ted Talk videos.

I've been watching these videos for many years but this one I can relate to more than some of the others. Have a watch

https://youtu.be/5J6jAC6XxAI

Just wow but what is Stoicism is a school of Hellenistic philosophy that flourished throughout the Roman and Greek world until the 3rd century AD. Stoicism is predominantly a philosophy of personal ethics which is informed by its system of logic and its views on the natural world. According to its teachings, as social beings, the path to happiness for humans is found in accepting this moment as it presents itself, by not allowing ourselves to be controlled by our desire for pleasure or our fear of pain, by using our minds to understand the world around us and to do our part in nature's plan, and by working together and treating others in a fair and just manner.

It was founded in Athens by Zeno of Citium in the early 3rd century BC. The Stoics taught that emotions resulted in errors of judgment which were destructive, due to the active relationship between cosmic determinism and human freedom, and the belief that it is virtuous to maintain a will (called prohairesis) that is in accord with nature. Because of this, the Stoics presented their philosophy as a way of life (lex divina), and they thought that the best indication of an individual's philosophy was not what a person said but how a person behaved.[1] To live a good life, one had to understand the rules of the natural order since they taught that everything was rooted in nature.[2]

Later Stoics—such as Seneca and Epictetus—emphasized that, because "virtue is sufficient for happiness", a sage was immune to misfortune. This belief is similar to the meaning of the phrase "stoic calm", though the phrase does not include the "radical ethical" Stoic views that only a sage can be considered truly free, and that all moral corruptions are equally

I would love to hear from you and your opinion

[thepanthro-blog]

I Am

I am my mother, my father before me.

I am they.

I am my neighbours, my friends around me.

I am they.

I am what I know, I am what I think.

I am the earth I walk on, I am the air I breathe.

I am free.

I am a drop of water in the ocean.

I am not.