Plain
Epictetus — The Slave

You can easily praise Providence for everything that exists or happens in the world — if you have two qualities. First, you need the ability to see how things work together for everyone and everything. Second, you need a grateful heart. Without these two qualities, some people won't see the point of what exists and what happens. Others won't be thankful, even when they do understand. Think about it: if God had made colors but hadn't given us eyes to see them, what good would colors be? None at all. On the flip side, if God had given us vision but hadn't made anything for us to see, what good would sight be? Again, none at all. Now suppose God had made both colors and eyes, but hadn't made light to see by. Even then, they'd be useless. So who is it that fitted all these things together so perfectly?

Discourses, Of Providence 20 of 388
Human Nature What Matters Most
Epictetus — The Slave Original

From everything, which is or happens in the world, it is easy to praise Providence, if a man possesses these two qualities: the faculty of seeing what belongs and happens to all persons and things, and a grateful disposition. If he does not possess these two qualities, one man will not see the use of things which are and which happen: another will not be thankful for them, even if he does know them. If God had made colors, but had not made the faculty of seeing them, what would have been their use? None at all. On the other hand, if he had made the faculty of vision, but had not made objects such as to fall under the faculty, what in that case also would have been the use of it? None at all. Well, suppose that he had made both, but had not made light? In that case, also, they would have been of no use. Who is it then who has fitted this to that and that to this?

Discourses, Of Providence 20 of 388
Epictetus — The Slave

There are two ways people harden themselves. First, they shut down their ability to think clearly. Second, they kill their sense of shame — they decide they won't accept obvious truths and they won't stop arguing. Most of us fear physical pain and will do anything to avoid it. But we don't care about damaging our souls. Here's the strange part: if someone can't think or understand anything, we say they're in bad shape. But if someone kills their sense of shame and decency, we actually call that strength.

Discourses, Against the Academics 19 of 388
Knowing Yourself Human Nature
Epictetus — The Slave Original

Now there are two kinds of hardening, one of the understanding, the other of the sense of shame, when a man is resolved not to assent to what is manifest nor to desist from contradictions. Most of us are afraid of mortification of the body, and would contrive all means to avoid such a thing, but we care not about the soul's mortification. And indeed with regard to the soul, if a man be in such a state as not to apprehend anything, or understand at all, we think that he is in a bad condition; but if the sense of shame and modesty are deadened, this we call even power (or strength).

Discourses, Against the Academics 19 of 388
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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