Review Guide for PHL 320-E Exam #1     ۞  BRING A PENCIL ۞        Prof. Stephens

Epictetus, The Discourses

1. What is the name of the author of The Discourses?  Who was he?
2. What does the letter to Lucius Gellius reveal about the kind of teacher Epictetus was?
3. When did Epictetus live (what were the approximate years of his birth and death)?

Book 1
Chapter 1
4. Which faculty alone comprehends both itself and all the other faculties?
5. What has the gods placed in our power?  What things have the gods not placed in our power?
6. Explain Epictetus’ views about death.
7. Explain Epictetus’ views about choice.
Chapter 3
8. Explain Epictetus’ account of the two aspects (parts) that constitute a human being.  How does he compare human beings to nonhuman animals?  What kind of behavior is characteristic of wolves, lions, and foxes?
Chapter 6
9. What two things enable someone to praise providence for everything that happens in the universe?
10. What four things make it possible to see colored objects?  What fifth thing is necessary in order to actually see such objects?
11. Present Epictetus’ Design Argument for Divine Providence (1.6.3–11).
12. How are human beings different than nonhuman animals concerning sense-impressions?
13. Present Epictetus’ Teleology of Animals Argument (1.6.18–22).
14. What lesson does Epictetus draw from the willingness people have to travel to Olympia to see the spectacle of Pheidias’ sculpture of Zeus?
15. What does Epictetus say about Heracles? (1.6.32–36).  How does the example of Heracles apply to us? (1.6.37–43).
Chapter 9
16. What does cosmopolites mean?  What is the importance of this idea for Epictetus?
17. What reasons does Epictetus give for not fearing starvation?
18. Explain what Epictetus means by saying “the door is open.”  What lesson does he draw from this motto?
19. Epictetus thinks that one person is not rendered unfortunate by another.  What does he mean by this?  What are his reasons for this belief?
Chapter 12
20. Identify the five positions on the deity stated by Epictetus.
21. Which of these five positions does Epictetus hold?  Who else holds this position on the deity with him?
22. Explain in detail Epictetus’ conception of FREEDOM.  What does he say freedom is incompatible with?
23. What does he say “true instruction” consists in?
24. What does Epictetus think about summer & winter, abundance & dearth, virtue & vice, and all such opposites?
25. How does Epictetus advise us to think about the situation of being alone?  The situation of being in company?
26. List six things which Epictetus says the gods have NOT made you accountable for (1.12.33).
27. What one thing does Epictetus say the gods have made you accountable for? (1.12.34)
Chapter 13
28. What kind of conduct does Epictetus say is acceptable to the gods?  Give his examples.
29. What does Epictetus say about losing your temper with people around you?
Chapter 14
30. Present Epictetus’ argument that god must be aware of every motion of our souls (the first premise is: “All things are bound in a unity”). (1.14.1–6)
31. Present Epictetus’ argument that god is capable of surveying all things, being present with all things, and having a certain communication with all. (1.14.7–9)
32. Present Epictetus’ argument that god can perceive all things (the first premise is: “The sun can illuminate a great part of the universe”). (1.14.10)

Book 2
Chapter 8
33. How does Epictetus think the good is related to the true nature of god?
34. Briefly explain Epictetus’ view of nonhuman animals and their purposes. (2.8.3–10)
35. Briefly explain Epictetus’ view of the relationship between humans and god. (2.8.11–14)
36. Explain what Epictetus means by saying that Zeus (god) sculpts human statues. (2.8.15–25)
37. What are the sinews of a philosopher? (2.8.26–29)
Chapter 16
38. Why are well-practiced orators, singers, musicians, and performers nervous on stage before an audience?
39. What causes anxiety and fear, according to Epictetus?
40. When does tragedy arise, according to Epictetus? (2.16.31)
41. How did Heracles behave, according to Epictetus?  What lesson does he draw for us from Heracles’ example? (2.16.44–47)

Book 3
Chapter 13
42. How does Epictetus define desolation?  What condition does NOT necessitate desolation?
43. What does the doctrine of philosophers promise to give us?
Chapter 17
44. Briefly explain Epictetus’ notion of providence.
45. Briefly explain Epictetus’ view of poverty.

Book 4
Chapter 4
46. Present Epictetus’ argument for the conclusion that reading has not benefited you.
47. What is relation between receiving a proper education and preserving peace of mind, according to Epictetus?
48. What does Epictetus argue is incompatible with grieving, mourning, envying, and feeling disappointment?
49. What does he say makes actions good or bad?
Chapter 7
50. Briefly explain Epictetus’ analogy of children playing games.  What lesson does he draw for us from this analogy?
51. Briefly explain Epictetus’ analogy of a good actor.  What lesson does he draw for us from this analogy?
52. Present Epictetus’ argument for the conclusion that death is NOT tragic. (4.7.15)
Chapter 10
53. Present Epictetus’ argument for the conclusion that either you cannot hope to gain freedom from fear, grief, and misery or you must give up any concern about externals. (4.10.25–26)

The Person, Chapter 3: Cicero, Chapter 4: Epictetus

1. Explain Cicero’s Four Personae Theory, including examples where appropriate.
2. How does Cicero contrast the nature of beasts and the nature of man?  Which path of life does he urge us to follow?
3. Explain Cicero’s analysis of the exemplars Marcus Cato, Ulysses, and Ajax.
4. Briefly explain Cicero’s account of Heracles.  Contrast it with Epictetus’ account in the Discourses.
5. Explain Epictetus’ conception of prosōpon.  What does the term mean?  How can it guide one’s actions?
6. What two factors does Epictetus think judgments of what is rational and irrational flow from?
7. What is Epictetus’ example of holding a chamber-pot meant to show?
8. Describe the story of Agrippinus and Florus.  Explain Epictetus’ interpretation of it.
9. How does Epictetus say he would respond to being told to shave off his beard?  Explain the significance of this.

Vaughn, Writing Philosophy

Chapter 1
1. Explain Vaughn’s view of what philosophy is and is not.  What is a common myth about philosophy?  How does philosophy relate to belief?
2. What kind of a process is philosophy?
3. What is an argument?  What are the two elements of an argument called?
4. What characterizes a good argument?  What characterizes a bad argument?
5. Briefly explain the best way to read philosophy (according to Vaughn).  Identify his five rules for reading philosophy.  Identify five common mistakes in reading philosophy.

Chapter 2
1. Define what a statement is.  Contrast examples of statements with examples of non-statements.|
2. What is a conditional?  What is each part of a conditional called?  Give an example of a conditional.
2. Identify four common mistakes in evaluating arguments.
3. Identify the two types (not qualities: good, bad) of arguments. (p. 28 top)
4. What is a sound argument?  What is a cogent argument? (p. 30)
5. Briefly explain the concept of validity.  What characterizes a valid argument?
6. Present the valid argument form called modus ponens.  Give an example of an argument with this form.
7. Present the valid argument form called modus tollens.  Give an example of an argument with this form.
8. Present the valid argument form called hypothetical syllogism.  Give an example of an argument with this form.
9. Present the valid argument form called disjunctive syllogism.  Give an example of an argument with this form.
10. Present the fallacy form called denying the antecedent.  Give an example of an argument with this form.
11. Present the fallacy form called affirming the consequent.  Give an example of an argument with this form.

The Person, Chapter 12: John Locke

1. State Locke’s definition of person (p. 82).
2. Explain Locke’s account of consciousness, memory, and personal identity.
3. State Locke’s definition of self (p. 85).
4. What does Locke say about the identity of a man, and the identity of a person?  What are the three possibilities he discusses on this issue? (pp. 86–87)
5. What modern legal defense does Locke anticipate in his comment about “the secrets of all hearts”? (p. 87)
6. What does Locke say is the more probable opinion about the connection of the consciousness and the individual immaterial substance?
7. Explain what Locke means by calling ‘person’ a forensic term (pp. 88–89).