The Dichotomy of Control

Unlike many wealthy philosophers who wrote about freedom, Epictetus was a slave with no money or possessions. He wrote about how he was free while in chains.

In 55 AD, Epictetus was born a slave and would have to remain so for the first 30 years of his life, according to law.

His body took abuse from his slave 'owner'. Suffering beatings and bone breakages.

Rare for a slave at the time, he was still able to study philosophy under a man called Musonius Rufus.

During which Epictetus observed that while he was a slave, he was more free than the people not in chains.

People tend to believe that freedom comes from doing what feels good. But Epictetus saw people who prioritised feelings over reason as slaves to their desires and aversions.

He argued that true freedom means being able to exercise control over your mind.

Judgements, desires, and actions are all ways of doing this. Not letting fear, anger, or outside events have any influence over them.

This formed the basis of his most famous idea:

The dichotomy of control: Some things are controllable. Some are not (body, reputation, and others' actions).

Placing value on what we can't control limits our freedom, and we should focus on our responses instead.

Epictetus didn't even own his own body; he got mistreated by others' actions, and people looked down on him for being a slave (reputation).

He was indifferent because he knew he couldn't change them (judgement).

He made the most of what he could do by studying philosophy (actions).

And stopped wishing for it to be any different (desire).

After his release from slavery at the age of 30, Epictetus became a teacher of philosophy.

His most famous work was "Enchiridion." A book compiled of his ideas by his pupil, Arrian.

It became influential in monasteries. His teachings, which often referenced Socrates, Christians adopted to reference Jesus.