Epictetus' conception of honor in Stoic philosophy

Epictetus and Socrates on Honor

Epictetus places a fair amount of emphasis on honor and acting honorably. However, he does so in an implicit way which might elude the scholar that is not specifically studying the ancient philosopher's teachings for this particular concept. The vast majority of Epictetus' writings and sayings do not expressly denote various facets of honor, although some do. However, his core tenets are substantiated by the notion of honor in a way that this virtue is actually pervasive in the vast majority of Epictetus' thought and moralizing.

Quite simply, Epictetus has a high esteem for honor because its plays a principal role in the overarching Stoicism philosophy of which his works are a central part. This branch of philosophy readily concedes that there is merely a finite amount of one's life that one can control. It freely postulates that most events and event actions that take place in the universe are decidedly outside of the nature of an individual to control, yet the individual is still tasked with enduring them and accounting for the consequences of those actions and events (Stevens, 2000). Thus, he or she should do so in the best way possible. To Epictetus, that way indelibly involves honor and an acceptance associated with this idea. In accepting the fact that one can really only control one's self and one's own actions, one must tacitly and implicitly accept the fate of other events and actions with honor. The philosopher believed that there was really no other alternative in doing so that was aligned with notions of good.

Moreover, in readily realizing that the vast majority of the world's events and actions -- and their authors -- are outside of the control of the individual, Epictetus posits the viewpoint that the individual should only concern himself or herself with his or her own actions. This tenet is a critical aspect of Stoicism, and reinforces the concept that this philosophy has a 'grin and bear it' aspect of its very conception. In this respect, the term that this philosophy is named after (stoic) does not mean emotionless -- it rather means a prideful acceptance of those things that one cannot change. The term pride has only positive connotations in this definition, because it is linked with honor. Honor is such a fundamental aspect of stoicism because it somewhat describes how to endure all of life's vicissitudes and those things that one cannot control. One should do so with an honor that is dignified, and which is in turn befitting of the only things that one can control -- one's self. Therefore, carrying one's self in an honorable manner is the ultimate reflection of the fact that doing so is both the best and, in all pragmatic ways, the only way that one can carry oneself and produce an effect on the outside world. Everything outside of the individual is beyond his or her control, so the best thing to do is to endure those things in an honorable way that reflects virtue and even goodness.

Socrates also places a high value on honor -- albeit for decidedly different reasons. Epictetus believes it is best to act honorably because that is the only form of control one can exert against the universe since everything else is outside of the control of the individual. Socrates, however, believes that it is best to act in an honorable way because doing so is a core component of the concept that is most integral to his philosophy -- virtue or goodness. Socrates believes that the highest expression of man and of his soul is to engage in acts that are virtuous. He always believed that the best thing that man can do is to engage in a life of quiet contemplation, because in doing so man is exercising his upper cognitive faculties -- which is what he is supposed to do. This belief is why Socrates poses the notion that his philosopher kings would engage in a life of contemplation were they not ruling (Dobbs, 1985, p. 809). In living his life in accordance to what Socrates believed was the purpose for mankind -- thinking, considering, and understanding things -- Socrates believed that man was exceeding some of the lower forms of his nature: those that pertain to the body and to the carnal. There is a basic accordance between virtue and honor. If one is virtuous, one will inevitably act honorably. Thus, honor again is the by-product of a core tenet of the philosophies discussed in this document.

In understanding Socrates' valuation of honor as it relates to his musings in general, it is also important to deconstruct his ideas about the human soul and how it relates to dignity. As previously mentioned, Socrates was convinced that man's soul was eternal. He believed that the soul existed prior to its coalescing inside of the human form, and that it would continue to endure after the body had perished. Part of his belief about this infinite nature of the soul relates to both knowledge and his conception of virtue. Socrates' theory of recollection is one that propounds the notion that at birth, one's soul already is ingrained with all of the knowledge that an individual will attain throughout his or her lifetime. The theory of recollection states that one merely has to remember all of that knowledge that the soul has already acquired (Ali, 2015). This theory emphasizes the fact that Socrates believes that knowledge is an integral part of one's soul, and that man is tasked with engaging in intellectual endeavors in order to ascertain this knowledge (Plato, 360). Utilizing man's cognitive capabilities is the ultimate good that man can produce, Socrates reasoned. Thinking and contemplating -- engaging in a virtuous life -- is what man is supposed to be doing. Part of living such a virtuous life requires acting honorably, and doing the greatest form of good that man can.