Is There a Callousness in the Stoics?

Stoics like Epictetus are often perceived as callous due to their rationality regarding death, loss, and pain. This rationality stems from living in a harsher world with less control, where attachments could lead to more suffering. However, this detachment and rational thinking are not meant to be cruel but serve as a valuable counterbalance to emotional reactions, which might lead to poor decision-making. The Stoic mindset promotes the importance of rationality over emotional responses, emphasizing the need to think through situations logically to achieve better outcomes.

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