Practical Wisdom Epictetus on family affection
Apr 29, 2025
Explore the profound insights of Epictetus on family affection and responsibility. Delve into a father’s struggles with his daughter’s illness, revealing the emotional turmoil of parenting. Discover the Stoic perspective on balancing personal feelings and familial duties. Can love and duty coexist? Unpack the age-old question of what it means to act ‘naturally’ as a parent while striving for happiness in family life.
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Father's Story of Family Distress
- Epictetus asks a father how his marriage experience is, and the father says it's wretched due to distress over his sick child.
- The father admits he ran away from his daughter's sickbed because he could not bear the pain, which Epictetus questions.
Natural vs. Right Actions
- Epictetus distinguishes between what feels natural and what is right in our actions.
- He says abandoning a loved one because the situation is distressing may be natural but is not right.
Judgment Controls Actions
- The father's decision to leave his sick daughter's side stems from his judgment that the sight was unbearable.
- Epictetus notes we can’t control feelings but can control our decisions to do what is right.
