Module 4 The Epicurean and Stoicism Ethics

Module 3
Week No: 5
Title of Module: The Epicurean Ethics and Stoicism
This module consists of two (2) lesson namely:
Lesson 1: The Epicurean Ethics

Lesson 2: The Ethics of Stoicism
Overview
There are numerous viewpoints on the basis for moral decisions. This module delves into one of
those points of view: epicurean ethics. It attempts to explain its concept and how it may be
applicable to man's quest for pleasure. On the other hand, the module discusses how wisdom
can be used as a foundation for moral decisions, similar to how epicurean ethics uses pleasure
as a foundation for the morality of actions. It discusses how to connect the well-known Filipino
concept of 'Bahala Na' with the Stoic principle of Human Drama.
Expected Output: 4 pics – 1 word; Self Reflect, Crossword

puzzle, Reaction paper
Module Time Allotment (weeks or hours): Week 5 - 6 (6 hours).
LESSON 1: The Epicurean Ethics
ABOUT THE LESSON:
At the end of the lesson, you will be able to:
LO1. Explain the concept of Epicurean Ethics

LO2. Apply Epicurean Ethics in a situation relating to man’s search for happiness
LEARNING OUTPUTS/REQUIREMENTS: 4 pics – 1 word, Self-Reflect
LESSON TIME ALLOTMENT: 3 hours
Address: Hilltop Road, Brgy. Kumintang Ibaba, Batangas City 4200, Philippines
Telephone Numbers: +63 43 723 1446 | 980 0041
Website: www.ub.edu.ph
LEARNING ACTIVITIES:
4 Pics – 1 Word
Direction:
Let’s play the popular: ‘4 Pics, 1 Word’ Game. Look closely at the four (4) images showb
below. These are linked by ‘one word’. Think of what the word is, from a set of letters given
therein. Afterwards, answer the questions, accordingly.
________
H U D L
S E I P
A E R O
Were you able to guess the word? If not, you may reach your instructor to provide you the
keyword to this game. If you were able to guess it, you may now use the word to complete the
questions provided below. You may now proceed.
Questions:
1. In your situation, what do you think are your guilty ‘_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _/s’?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
2. Can you recall situations that made the ‘_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _/s’ you’ve mentioned
influence your life decisions?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
EPICURUS OF SAMOS
We already know that we, human beings are capable of making decisions in pursuit of
what we so desire. It may depend on the person acting on it, on a particular situation, or the
society we live into. But still, the questions:
“What’s an ethical life?”

“How do we know if whether our actions are morally acceptable or not?”
“How can we achieve happiness in life?”
are queries we are still in search of finding answers in this journey of learning ethics. But
you are not alone. These questions had already occurred into the mind of one of the major
philosophers in the Hellenistic period we’ll be knowing today: Epicurus of Samos.
Before we begin discussing the early life and philosophy of Epicurus of Samos, let ask
ourselves why philosophy is, or finding answers into the aforesaid questions, are important?
To Epiricus of Samos, philosophy is important because it will help you free yourself from
ignorance and superstitions. Philosophy should not be looked up as a simply a mere acquisition
of knowledge. Rather, philosophy is the medicine of the soul; because ideas are capable of
controlling and developing one’s life. (Buenaflor et.al, 2018).
His philosophy was a complete and interdependent system, involving a view of the goal
of human life, an empiricist theory of knowledge, a description of nature based on atomistic
materialism, and a naturalistic account of evolution, from the formation of the world to the
emergence of human societies.
1 Epicurus of Samos
(c. 341 BC – c. 270 BC)
He is a Greek philosopher who spent his twenties

traveling and developing his signature work, Epicurean
Philosophy. Around 306 BC, he converted an Athens house into
the Garden, a school where he taught students about the ethical
philosophy we are about to study. Three full letters preserved by
his biographer are among his extant texts.
1.1. Early Life.
The majority of what historians know about Epicurus comes

from the writings of others. (Wasson, 2016) According to most
sources, Epicurus was born in 341 BCE on the small island of
Samos in the Aegean Sea off the coast of Asia Minor. His father,
Neocles, was a teacher. Neocles and his wife Chaerestrate
were members of the Athenian poor – the Klirouchi – who
moved to Samos after being offered land in Athens. Epicurus
was initially taught at home by his father, but he was later
educated by Amphilus (also known as Pamphilus), a Platonist,
and Nausephanes, a follower of Democritus, the Atomist.
(Wasson, 2016)
Figure 1 source: www.bing.com
1.2 Towards developing his own philosophy.
When Perdiccas, the old Macedonian commander under Alexander, ordered the removal of
all Athenians from Samos, Epicurus' family was forcibly relocated to the small Ionian city of
Colophon while he was serving his mandatory two years in the Athenian army. Epicurus began
to develop his own, distinct philosophy at this point.
According to sources, he became disillusioned with his teachers when he was 14 years old.
He was an empiricist, like Aristotle, and believed that all knowledge comes from one's senses.
His new philosophy was based primarily on the concept of seeking pleasure while avoiding pain.
(Wasson, 2016) According to Epicurus, the primary goal of human life is pleasure. The idea he
inherited from Democritus, the atomist, drove him to the pleasure principle. (Buenaflor, 2018)
Democritus Epicurus
God, according to Democritus, did not create From the idea of Democritus, Epicurus
everything. eventually concluded that every existing thing
is made up of small eternal atoms.
In this regard, human behavior should not be
judged based on obedience to a divine In this case, if God is real and exists, He, too,
principle. Everyday occurrences in life are the must be composed of this material known as
result of a meaningless and random event. atoms. As a result, humans are NOT a part of
God is not involved in our day-to-day lives. a purposeful or created order caused or ruled
by God. People, like all other beings, are
merely byproducts of the collision of atoms
(Stumpf&Fieser, 103 cited in Buenaflor, et.al.,
2018)
Epicurus believed that through his philosophy,

he could liberate humanity from the fear of
God and the fear of death.
In the case of death, no one should be

bothered because only a living person can
experience pleasure or pain. After we die, we
will no longer be able to feel pain or pleasure.
Curtis (1981, p.103, as cited in Buenaflor et
al., 2018)
Table 1. Comparison of Democritus and Epicurus’ idea.
One of Epicurus' most important aims was to liberate people from fearing the eventual
end of one's life thereby enabling them to seek both happiness and fulfillment in their personal
lives. To Epicurus, one ceases to exist when one chooses to fear death. The Epicureans believed
in the maxim "Death is nothing to us." There were four fundamental truths in Epicureanism:
1. There are no divine beings that can threaten us.

2. There is no afterlife.
3. What we actually need is easy to obtain.
4. What makes us suffer is easy to endure.
Epicurus' thinking was clearly influenced by Plato's, Aristotle's, and, most notably,
Democritus' philosophies as a result of his early education. Although his name and philosophy
have been misunderstood and associated with hedonism, his early teachings were anything but.
(Wasson, 2016)
Hedonism
Hedonism is the general term for any philosophy that says that pleasure is good and pain is
evil.
It comes from the Greek word: ἡδονή (Hedone), which means “pleasure”. The followers of
this philosophy look at the happy life in terms of having the most possible pleasure and the
least possible pain. From the point of view of hedonists, the pursuit of pleasure is our
birthright. (Buenaflor, et.al, 2018)
Table 2. Concept of ‘Hedonism’
Epicurus' ethics is a form of egoistic hedonism in that he claims that the only thing that
is intrinsically valuable is one's own pleasure; everything else is valuable only as a means to
securing one's own pleasure. He does, however, have a sophisticated and idiosyncratic
understanding of the nature of pleasure, which leads him to recommend a virtuous, moderately
ascetic life as the best way to secure pleasure.
Types of Pleasure
Epicurus claimed that pleasure is inextricably linked to satisfying one's desires. He
distinguishes between various kinds of pleasure.
'Moving' pleasures occur when one is in the process of fulfilling a desire, such as
eating a hamburger when hungry. These pleasures involve an active titillation of the senses,
and these feelings are commonly referred to as ‘pleasure.' Epicurus, on the other hand,
claims that after one's desires have been satisfied (e.g., when one is full after eating), the
state of satiety, of no longer being in need or want, is pleasurable in and of itself. Epicurus
refers to this as a 'static' pleasure, and he believes that static pleasures are the best.
Physical pleasures and pains are only concerned with the present, whereas mental
pleasures and pains are also concerned with the past (fond memories of past pleasure or
regret over past pain or mistakes) and the future (confidence or fear about what will occur).
Epicurus believes that anxiety about the future, particularly fear of the gods and fear of death,
is the greatest destroyer of happiness. If one can overcome fear of the future and face it with
confidence that one's desires will be met, one will achieve tranquility (ataraxia), the highest
state. In fact, given Epicurus' conception of pleasure, it may be less misleading to refer to
him as a 'tranquillist' rather than a 'hedonist.'
Table 3. Concept and types of ‘Pleasure’
Epicurus' teachings gradually drew a number of devoted followers, even appealing to both
women and slaves. The fact that his schools welcomed everyone drew a lot of criticism from
people in and around Athens. At the age of 32, he relocated to the city of Mytilene on the island
of Lesbos, and later, against his will, to Lampsacus on the eastern side of the Hellespont, where
he established schools. (Wasson, 2016)
2 Epicurean Philosophy
It's an example of egoistic hedonism. This is due to the Epicureans' belief that the only thing
that matters in life is one's own pleasure. According to Epicurus, neither life nor death is good or
bad in and of themselves. The only thing that matters is the quality of our pleasures or pains. This
viewpoint contrasts with Aristippus' emphasis on intensity, i.e., the quantity of pleasure. The wise
and sophisticated Epicurean chooses the finest over having the most of anything, including the
longest possible lifespan, according to Epicurus. According to him, all things that a human being
finds valuable are valuable because they provide a sense of pleasure to the human being.
However, his view on pleasure is somehow sophisticated because he still recommended a
virtuous and moderately ascetic life as the best means to securing pleasure.
The highest pleasures, according to Epicurus, are INTELLECTUAL, and the greatest good
is PEACE OF MIND, not intense or exquisite physical pleasure. Buenaflor et al. (2018)
In 307/306 CE, he purchased a home in Athens and established a new school, dubbed "The
Garden," where he remained for the rest of his life. The inscription on his school's gate read:
"Stranger, here you will do well to tarry; here our highest goal is pleasure."
Unfortunately, his concept of pleasure has been horribly misinterpreted; to him, pleasure
meant one must lead a life of restful contemplation, eating and drinking moderately. One must
live without anxiety, forgoing the wants and worries of life and enjoying the "bliss of the gods."
He would later write,
"Do not spoil what you have desiring what you have not; remember that
what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for."
Happiness could be attained by achieving ataraxia, or fearlessness, and aponia, or the

absence of pain. "Live unknown" was an Epicurean personal adage, a belief that rivaled the old
Greek idea of seeking fame, glory, and honor. (Wasson, 2016)
Since Epicurus believed that every individual can control his own life and reason out, he is
capable of distinguishing the good. In this case, pleasure is the standard of goodness. In as much
as human beings find pleasure to be good, hence, pleasure becomes the gauge in determining
the goodness of a human action. (Buenaflor, et.al., 2018)
3 Critique on Epicurean Philosophy
In your book, Unraveling the Absolute Moral Principle: Ethics for Filipinos, by Buenaflor et.al
(2018), the following are the cited criticisms by the authors:
Epicureanism may be upholding a life that is lived simply. This idea may become
1. contradictory to their principle that happiness may be obtained by way of pleasure.
However, such pleasure must be controlled although cannot be easily done.
Pleasures cannot just be limited to the avoidance of physical pain and troubles of the mind
because physical pains and troubles of the mind can still be considered morally acceptable
2.
if the experience of such pains may lead the person to the greater glory and for greater
good.
Epicurus also held that pleasure also implies limitation of social relationships because
3. social relationships may lead one to be involved in sacrifices for the sake of others. Such
sacrifices may be contrary to the avoidance of physical pain.
HAPPY READING / YOUTUBE VIEWING.
Read pages 60-66, Chapter 5: The Epicurean Ethics in, Unraveling the Absolute Moral
Principle: Ethics for Filipinos, by Buenaflor et.al (2018) published by Books Atbp. Publishing, Inc.
You may also watch the video below:
https://youtu.be/Kg_47J6sy3A
SELF – REFLECT
Read the text below and you are encouraged to do a self-reflect.
In order to obtain a moral life, avoid physical pain and mental troubles,
the followers of Epicurus instead follow these eight counsels as the basic guide to
Epicurean living:
1. Do not fear God;
2. Do not worry about death;
3. Do not fear pain;
4. Live a simple life;
5. Pursue pleasure wisely;
6. Make friends and be a good friend;
7. Be honest in your business and political ambition;
8. Avoid fame and political ambition;
Guide questions:
1. Which of the above-stated ‘Epicurean teachings’, do you think, is right or wrong? Why?
2. Which of these will you apply in life? Not apply? Why or Why not?
3. Epicureanism held that happiness can be sourced from pleasure. How can this serve as
basis of one’s morality?
REMINDERS
✓ The rubric for this activity will be posted in our LMS class
✓ Post your output in our UBian LMS Class
Epicurus' signature work was Epicurean Philosophy, which combined an atomistic

understanding of the natural world with ethical principles that prioritized pleasures. After learning
Democritus' concept of atoms, he was able to conceptualize this principle. He founded the
Epicurean school of thought in Athens, teaching that "pleasure is the principle and end of a happy
life." The standard of goodness is pleasure. Furthermore, Epicurus believes that neither life nor
death is good or bad in and of themselves. Only the quality of our pleasures or pains matters, but
not in the way that ‘Hedonism' does. Many criticized his views on religion and death.
One of Epicurus' most important aims was to liberate people from fearing the eventual end
of one's life thereby enabling them to seek both happiness and fulfillment in their personal lives.
Criticisms against Epicurus emerged since some of his views are found to be in conflict.
References:
Works Cited
Buenaflor, Lionel E., Masarap Angelito T., et.al, Unraveling the Absolute Moral Principle:
Ethics for Filipino Students Buenaflor (2018) Books Atbp Publishing, Inc.
Keefe, Tim O’. Epicurus retrieved from: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/epicurus/
Wasson, Donald L. (2016) Epicurus retrieved from: https://www.ancient.eu/Epicurus/
Images: 4pics and 1 word:

Man on Beach. https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fjeff-
valdivia.medium.com%2Frelaxation-it-sounds-simple-but-are-we-doing-it-wrong-
24579aee8e5f%3Fsource%3Dpost_internal_links---------4----------------------------
&psig=AOvVaw1oTs0bZYn_KXn5e2EsJRl3&ust=1614877427494000&source=images&cd=vfe
&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCIjXhbDNlO8CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD
Ice Cream. https://ketopots.com/keto-chocolate-ice-cream
Woman with umbrella.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wallpaperup.com%2F124798%2
Fmood_girl_brunette_smile_joy_positive_happy_fun_umbrella_umbrella_color_rain_rain_drops
_summer_sun.html&psig=AOvVaw32qy_Fsdb7iJ_BwjRE_fHL&ust=1614888438783000&source
=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCPChw7L2lO8CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE
Massage. healthline.com
Epicurus. Illustration from 1885 of a small bronze bust of Epicurus from Herculaneum.
Three Epicurus bronze busts were recovered from the Villa of the Papyri, as well as text
fragments. Sheila Dillon (2006). Ancient Greek Portrait Sculpture: Contexts, Subjects, and Styles.
Cambridge University Press. p. 45. ISBN 9780521854986 – via Google Books.
Video
Philosophy-Ethics via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kg_47J6sy3A
LESSON 2: The Ethics of Stoics
ABOUT THE LESSON:
At the end of the lesson, you will be able to:
LO1. Explain the ethical principle of the Stoics

LO2. Relate the Filipino concept of bahala na with the principles of Human
Drama of Stoics
LEARNING OUTPUTS/REQUIREMENTS: Crossword Puzzle, Reaction Paper
LESSON TIME ALLOTMENT: 3 hours
LEARNING ACTIVITIES:
CROSSWORD PUZZLE
Were you able to guess the words? If not, you may reach your instructor to provide you
the keywords to this game. If you were able to guess it, you may now use it to complete the
questions provided below. You may now proceed.
Questions:
1. How can Man attain (1) ‘_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _’ ?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
2. What do you understand about (2) ‘_ _ _ _ _ _ ’ ?

Do you think, it affects the way you make decisions? Why or why not?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Epicureanism holds that happiness can be attained through pleasure. Stoicism, on the
other hand, believes otherwise. It is not pleasure that provides the foundation for man to achieve
happiness. This module is now expected to provide us with another set of principles to help us
achieve happiness by understanding another framework in Ethics – Stoicism.
1 Cynicism: The Origin of Stoic Philosophy
Three important philosophers of the Ancient Greek are

Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. They have all said worthwhile that is still
accepted until today. Socrates, as one of the leading philosophers of
our time, is described as follows:
“He was not the ideal of Athenian masculinity. Short and

stocky, with a snub nose and bulging eyes, Socrates always seemed
to appear to be staring. However, Plato pointed out that in the eyes of
his students, Socrates possessed a different kind of attractiveness,
not based on a physical ideal but on his brilliant debates and
penetrating thought. Socrates always emphasized the importance of
the mind over the relative unimportance of the human body.” Socrates /ancient.eu
(biography.com, 2019) Socrates’ lifestyle and way of thinking impressed the creation of Cynicism
as mentioned by Buenaflor, et.al (2018):
“Impressed by the lifestyle of Socrates, Antisthenes sought to follow both the life and
philosophy of Socrates. Socrates’ disdain for fashion, his ragged but functional clothing, lack of
shoes, ability to not sleep or eat for long periods, his physical toughness and forthright honesty
made a tremendous on the young Cynic.”
After Socrates’ death, Antisthenes founded ‘Cynosarges’. Cynic is a Greek word for dog.
The word ‘cynosarges’ means the "place of the white dog". It seems certain, however, that the
word dog was also thrown at the first Cynics as an insult for their shameless rejection of
conventional manners, and their decision to live on the streets. Diogenes, in particular, was
referred to as the "Dog". (Aristotle’s rhetoric cited in wiki/cynicism.com)
In fact, one student of Antisthenes Diogenes of Sinope (404-323 BCE) was labeled as
cynic because it was said that he lived like a dog, i.e., he was unwashed and rough-looking,
scrounging for food, and refusing to follow the conventional standards of dress and behavior.
(Buenaflor, 2018).
It is agreed therefore, that Cynic has no property and rejects all
conventional values of money, fame, power and reputation. The Cynics
believed that the very essence of civilization is “corrupt”. Manners,
according to them, are hypocritical and phony. They also believed that
material wealth weakens the people and makes them physically and
morally soft. The desire for success and power produces dishonesty
and dependency. Flattery, fashion, and convention destroy the
individual and make everyone vulnerable to the whims of fortune. And,
as the tragic death of Socrates underscored, not even the wisest person
can control other people or external events. (Soccio, cited in Buenaflor,
2018)
Therefore, following Cynicism, happiness can be found by

Antisthenes/en.wikipedia.org realization that the purpose of life is to live in virtue, in agreement
with nature. Since man is a reasoning creature, people can gain
happiness by rigorous training and by living in a way which is natural for themselves, rejecting all
conventional desires for wealth, power, and fame. Instead, to live a simple life free from all
possessions, dictated by reason, is the ultimate guide to live a happy life. This idea was further
developed as ‘Stoicism’.
2 Stoic Morality
Stoics held that people should learn to live in accordance with nature or absolute law. This
is for the reason that the foundation of Stoic Morality rests on a doctrine that has its own basis in
physics – The Doctrine of oikeiosis.
The Stoic’s ethical teaching is centered on two principles:
First, the universe is governed by absolute law, which admits no exceptions;

Second, the essential nature of the human person is the reason;
This means that human persons should conform to the laws of universe as illustrated by the
concept of human drama and human being’s natural ability which is reason.
2.1. Reason and ‘Human Drama’
Living in agreement with nature was equivalent to living according to virtue. Their best
known and most frequently criticized moral tenet was that virtue alone was necessary and
sufficient for happiness. Virtue was not only the final end and the supreme good: it was also the
real good. (Kenny, cited in Buenaflor, 2018).
For the Stoics, virtue means living according to reason. This means two (2) things:
There is purpose in the world, and therefore there is harmony, beauty and
First
design.
Since reason is law as opposed to lawlessness, it means that universe is
Second
subject to absolute sway of law.
In this regard, the universe is governed by rigorous necessity of cause and effect. Every
individual is not free and there can be no freedom of the will in a world that is governed by
necessity. Hence, there is no possibility of disobeying the laws of nature for humans also act out
of necessity.
Reason tells us that all that happens must happen in order to actuate a superior good willed
by the Divine Nature. In this regard, a human person is virtuous if he wishes that those events
that will happen will be according to the will of the Divine Providence. (Buenaflor, 2018). This is
gleaned from the concept of ‘Human Drama’ in Stoicism explained as follows:
Human Drama. theater.kadinlaralemi.net
The world is like a Stage where every person is an actor or actress. In this drama, the
Stoic Epictetus believed that each actor had his own role to play. There are people who will play
only a small role or lead role. Epictetus, one of the Stoic philosophers held that in this drama, who
chooses the role that will be played by each and every one is God.
In this regard, since God is the director of the human drama or life, Stoic held that Actors
do not have control over their story. The only thing that the actors can control is their attitudes
and emotions. Each individual should therefore know what role to play. By knowing the role to
play, they eventually acquire wisdom in dealing with life.
Since the Stoics believed that Divine Providence governs everything that happens in the
world, the example-situations mentioned by Buenaflor, et.al, (2018) are as follows:
Example: If the situation will arise that a person
sees that his son is in danger of drowning, it will
definitely be the duty of the parent to save his
son. However, if he fails to save the child after
doing everything that he must do, then he must
accept his failure without any remorse and
without any feeling of guilt, and thereby, without
diminishing his happiness. This is because the
author of the human drama governs everything that happens. In case of death, the child’s
death is not an evil itself. There is nothing for the virtuous person to regret since being
virtuous, he must have already done his best. For the Stoics, moral virtue is the only good,
and wickedness is the only evil.
2.2 Other beliefs.
The following are some beliefs that Stoicism holds:
It is impossible to control the future. However, it is useless to fear the future

Fate and
because they will happen anyway whether we like it or not. Instead, we
Destiny
should control our own attitude
Since everyone has reason, we have also the right reason in common. This right
Law
reason is Law.
Those who share law must also share Justice. It is inevitable for Stoics to develop
Justice a strong notion of cosmopolitanism which means the idea that all persons are
citizens of the shared humanity or the world.
3 Stoic Philosophers
3.1. ZENO of Citium (C. 334-262 BCE)
Of all the Stoics, Zeno has one of the most fascinating

stories of discovering philosophy. On a voyage between Phoenicia
and Peiraeus, his ship sank along with its cargo. He ended up in
Athens, and while visiting a bookstore he was introduced to the
philosophy of Socrates and, later, an Athenian philosopher named
Crates. These influences drastically changed the course of his life,
leading him to develop the thinking and principles that we now
know as Stoicism. According to the ancient biographer Diogenes
Laertius, Zeno joked, “Now that I’ve suffered shipwreck, I’m on a
good journey,” or according to another account, “You’ve done well,
Fortune, driving me thus to philosophy,” he reportedly said.
Zeno began his teaching at the Stoa Poikile which was

“Peace of mind that located at the Ancient Agora of Athens. This is the famous porch
comes from living a life that Stoicism was named after that you probably remember briefly
mentioned in your high school or college philosophy class. But the
of virtue in accordance
name wasn’t always that—in fact, initially his disciples were called
with reason and Zenonians but only later they came to be known as Stoics.
nature.”
Of course, Stoicism has developed since Zeno first
Zeno Image: Internet
outlined the philosophy but at the core of it, the message is the
Encyclopedia of Philosophy
same. As he put it, “Happiness is a good flow of life.” How is it to
be achieved? Peace of mind that comes from living a life of virtue in accordance with reason and
nature.
3.2. EPICTETUS, The Sage Slave (c.50-130 CE)
What makes Stoicism fascinating to study is that three of

its most well-known practitioners ranged widely in terms of where
they stood in society. Think of the two Stoics we just studied.
Marcus Aurelius was the emperor of the Roman Empire holding
one of the most powerful positions in the world. Seneca was an
adviser to an emperor, renowned playwright and one of the
richest people in the Roman Empire. And then there is Epictetus,
on the complete opposite, who was born as a slave.
That’s what makes Stoicism so powerful: it can provide

timeless principles to help us in both good and bad fortune, no
matter our station our life.
Epictetus was born nearly 2,000 years ago in Hierapolis

(present-day Pamukkale in Turkey) as a slave in a wealthy household. Epaphroditus, his owner,
gave him the permission to pursue liberal studies and it is how Epictetus discovered philosophy
through the Stoic Musonius Rufus who became his teacher and mentor. Later, Epictetus obtained
his freedom shortly after emperor Nero’s death and started teaching philosophy in Rome for
nearly 25 years. This lasted until emperor Domitian famously banished all philosophers in Rome.
Epictetus fled to Nicopolis in Greece where he founded a philosophy school and taught there until
his death.
Epictetus has coined some of the most memorable Stoic quotes: “To make the best of
what is in our power, and take the rest as it occurs.” “Let death and exile, and all other things
which appear terrible, be daily before your eyes, but death chiefly; and you will never entertain
any abject thought, nor too eagerly covet anything.”
He was a key influence to Marcus Aurelius and to many other powerful men and women
over the last two millennia. What is fascinating is that this influence came by pure luck. Epictetus
never actually wrote anything down. It is through his student Arrian that we have a written account
of his lessons. And if everyone from Emperors to war heroes have been grateful as they found
guidance, solace and strength in Epictetus’ lessons, then there must be something for us. But
only if we choose to.
3.3. MARCUS AURELIUS, The Stoic Emperor (121-180 CE)
Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, born nearly two
millennia ago is perhaps the best known Stoic leader in history.
He was born in a prominent family but nobody at the time would
have predicted that he would one day be Emperor of the Empire.
Little is known of his childhood but he was a serious young man
who enjoyed wrestling, boxing and hunting. Around his teenage
years, the reigning emperor, Hadrian, childless and nearing
death, picked his successor of choice, Antoninus. He was a
senator who was also childless and was required to adopt
Marcus, as per Hadrian’s condition. Antoninus eventually died in
161 and it is when Marcus’s reign began.
Marcus ruled for nearly two decades until 180, and his
reign was far from easy: wars with the Parthian Empire, the
As the famous historian barbarian tribes menacing the Empire on the northern border,
Edward Gibbon wrote, under the rise of Christianity as well as the plague that left numerous
Marcus, the last of the ‘Five dead.
Good Emperors,’ “the Roman
Empire was governed by It is important to realize the gravity of that position and
absolute power, under the the magnitude of power that Marcus possessed. He held the
guidance of wisdom and most powerful position in the world at the time. If he chose to,
virtue”.
Image: audible.com
nothing would be off limits. He could indulge and succumb to
temptations, there was nobody that could restrain him from any
of his wishes. There is a reason the adage that power in absolute absolutely corrupts has been a
cliche throughout history. And yet, as the essayist Matthew Arnold remarked, Marcus proved
himself worthy of the position he was in.
The guidance of wisdom and virtue. That’s what separates Marcus from the majority of
past and present world leaders. Just think of the diary that he left behind, which is now known as
his Meditations: It is essentially the private thoughts of the most powerful man in the world,
admonishing himself on how to be more virtuous, more just, more immune to temptation, wiser.
It is the definitive text on self-discipline, personal ethics, humility, self-actualization and strength.
If you read only one book this year, make it Meditations. (https://dailystoic.com/the-stoic-
philosophers)
HAPPY READING / YOUTUBE VIEWING.
Read pages 69-78, Chapter 6: The Ethics of Stoicism in, Unraveling the Absolute Moral
Principle: Ethics for Filipinos, by Buenaflor et.al (2018) published by Books Atbp. Publishing, Inc.
You may also watch the video below:
https://youtu.be/R9OCA6UFE-0
REACTION PAPER
Watch the video below and write your reaction as to ‘How can we or can we not use the
Ancient Philosophy of Stoicism as a way to live a modern life?. You may explain in not more than
300 words.
How to Be A Stoic: Using Ancient Philosophy to Live a Modern Life.

Stoicism as a philosophy for an ordinary life | Massimo Pigliucci | TEDxAthens
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yhn1Fe8cT0Q
How to change your life for the better by practicing ancient Greco-Roman philosophy as
a way of life.
Massimo Pigliucci has a PhD in Evolutionary Biology from the University of Connecticut
and a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Tennessee. He currently is the K.D. Irani Professor
of Philosophy at the City College of New York. His research interests include the philosophy of
biology, the science philosophy relationship, pseudoscience and the philosophy of Stoicism.
Having published in national and international outlets such as the New York Times, Washington
Post and Wall Street Journal, he is a Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and a
Contributing Editor to Skeptical Inquirer.
He owns two blogs: Plato’s Footnote on general philosophy and How to Be a Stoic on his
personal exploration of Stoicism as practical philosophy. Pigliucci has also published 153
technical papers in science and philosophy, while he is the author or editor of 13 books, most
recently of the best selling How to Be A Stoic: Using Ancient Philosophy to Live a Modern Life.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently
organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
REMINDERS
✓ The rubric for this activity will be posted in our LMS class
✓ Post your output in our UBian LMS Class
Stoicism started from the premise of a natural order of universe. Although the natural
order of universe is divine, the human person is capable of understanding the same through
the natural ability of human persons to reason. Stoics tend to look for happiness through the
use of wisdom. Such wisdom will be used in order to control what has been within the human
power and to accept with dignified resignation what had to be. (Buenaflor, 2018).
References:
Works Cited
Buenaflor, Lionel E., Masarap Angelito T., et.al, Unraveling the Absolute Moral Principle:
Ethics for Filipino Students Buenaflor (2018) Books Atbp Publishing, Inc.
Cynicism. Retrieved from: wiki/cynicism.com)
Socrates. https://www.ancient.eu/socrates/
Stoic Philosophers. https://dailystoic.com/the-stoic-philosophers/
Images
Socrates. courtesy: ancient.edu
Anisthenes.://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0f/Antisthenes_Pio-
Clementino_Inv288.jpg
Human Drama. Courtesy: pinterest.com
Drowning Child. Twinkle.com
Zeno Image: Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Epictetus Image: Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Marcus Aurelius: Audible.com
Videos.
Stoicism as a philosophy for an ordinary life | Massimo Pigliucci | TEDxAthens.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yhn1Fe8cT0Q
Philosophy of Stoicism. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9OCA6UFE-0

Module 4 The Epicurean and Stoicism Ethics

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Module 4 The Epicurean and Stoicism Ethics

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Module 3

Title of Module: The Epicurean Ethics and Stoicism

This module consists of two (2) lesson namely:

Lesson 1: The Epicurean Ethics

Expected Output: 4 pics – 1 word; Self Reflect, Crossword

Module Time Allotment (weeks or hours): Week 5 - 6 (6 hours).

LESSON 1: The Epicurean Ethics

ABOUT THE LESSON:

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to:

LO1. Explain the concept of Epicurean Ethics

LEARNING OUTPUTS/REQUIREMENTS: 4 pics – 1 word, Self-Reflect

LESSON TIME ALLOTMENT: 3 hours

“What’s an ethical life?”

He is a Greek philosopher who spent his twenties

1.1. Early Life.

The majority of what historians know about Epicurus comes

Epicurus believed that through his philosophy,

In the case of death, no one should be

Table 1. Comparison of Democritus and Epicurus’ idea.

1. There are no divine beings that can threaten us.

He would later write,

Happiness could be attained by achieving ataraxia, or fearlessness, and aponia, or the

3 Critique on Epicurean Philosophy

HAPPY READING / YOUTUBE VIEWING.

Read the text below and you are encouraged to do a self-reflect.

Epicurus' signature work was Epicurean Philosophy, which combined an atomistic

Keefe, Tim O’. Epicurus retrieved from: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/epicurus/

Wasson, Donald L. (2016) Epicurus retrieved from: https://www.ancient.eu/Epicurus/

Images: 4pics and 1 word:

Ice Cream. https://ketopots.com/keto-chocolate-ice-cream

Woman with umbrella.

ABOUT THE LESSON:

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to:

LO1. Explain the ethical principle of the Stoics

LEARNING OUTPUTS/REQUIREMENTS: Crossword Puzzle, Reaction Paper

LESSON TIME ALLOTMENT: 3 hours

2. What do you understand about (2) ‘_ _ _ _ _ _ ’ ?

1 Cynicism: The Origin of Stoic Philosophy

Three important philosophers of the Ancient Greek are

“He was not the ideal of Athenian masculinity. Short and

Therefore, following Cynicism, happiness can be found by

The Stoic’s ethical teaching is centered on two principles:

First, the universe is governed by absolute law, which admits no exceptions;

2.1. Reason and ‘Human Drama’

Human Drama. theater.kadinlaralemi.net

2.2 Other beliefs.

The following are some beliefs that Stoicism holds:

It is impossible to control the future. However, it is useless to fear the future

Of all the Stoics, Zeno has one of the most fascinating

Zeno began his teaching at the Stoa Poikile which was

What makes Stoicism fascinating to study is that three of

That’s what makes Stoicism so powerful: it can provide

Epictetus was born nearly 2,000 years ago in Hierapolis

How to Be A Stoic: Using Ancient Philosophy to Live a Modern Life.

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