LV Students of Stoicism:5th Meetup - Enchiridion 12-20 & Intro to Compatibilism

Hello, welcome to March!

Thank you all for your participation at the last meetup. I look forward to continuing this group with both familiar faces and newcomers.

Same Bat Time: 1pm
Same Bat Place: West End Pub in Quakertown.

Topics:
We will review our understanding of how we give assent to impressions (our core beliefs) and refine what is meant of what is truly ‘up to us’ (sometimes referred to as the Dichotomy of Control.) This will set the stage for introducing the Stoic model of "fate" which is classified as a form of Compatibilism (determinism and free will.) We will discuss Zeno's Cart analogy (how our voluntary cooperation or resistance to "fate" affects us we experience life as it happens) and go over some more material from Dr. Gregory Sadler.

Along with this we will continue our reading through the the Enchiridion (found free online here: https://classics.mit.edu/Epictetus/epicench.html) or (https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0237%3Atext%3Denc)

A Note on Attendance and Membership:
As in life, we will see new faces become familiar and familiar faces become distant yet fond memories. This is the nature of life and the nature of groups such as ours.

I maintain that within reason, this group will always have a revolving door. All are welcome back at any time and if life demands other focus, that is completely understandable. There is no obligation other than try to do the readings, look to be present and participate in good faith with the group in discussions that are admittedly as challenging as they are rewarding.

The Stoics themselves knew and distinguished themselves from the other schools as an AMAZING philosophy in that some of it goes directly against common notions. So the spirited nature of some of these concepts is baked into the growth that comes from sorting out the paradoxical nature of them.

Life is complicated after all! I look forward to working on making better sense of it with all of you in the meetings to come!

Thanks,
Rick