Conceptions in Healing the Hidden Self
Conceptions, then, are inseparable and linked to the general functioning of the psyche. They are always associated with a certain moral attitude which is confirmed by the tendency that they have to magnify every impulse that is present in consciousness. They enable us to see what we should change in our soul as well as what methods might be used.
-The Art of Living: The Classical Manual on Virtue Happiness, and Effectiveness
by Epictetus, translated by Nicholas P. White
"But you must understand this. We think nothing at all of what is within us, but only everything about our feelings and thoughts and words. Because we often misuse these things, we are quite unaware of them. Then we become angry, then depressed, then envious or fearful or jealous or indignant or self-pitying—all this is within us—but whether it will come out right depends on what sort of intentions we have as to how it should come out. It is not in our power to change any of these things; some are immovable, some are movable. But whether our mind remains at rest, or moves, depends entirely on the object. These are our notions and opinions about such matters; we remain passive toward them unless we make our lives conform to their demands. There is no escape from taking a stand with regard to them; and if we reject them, there is no escaping their influence. So, since we have no power to resist them and our only alternative is to conform to them, it is better to accept them.
But you must understand this. We think nothing at all of what is within us, but only everything about our feelings and thoughts and words. Because we often misuse these things, we are quite unaware of them. Then we become angry, then depressed, then envious or fearful or jealous or indignant or self-pitying—all this is within us—but whether it will come out right depends on what sort of intentions we have as to how it should come out. It is not in our power to change any of these things; some are immovable, some are movable. But whether our mind remains at rest, or moves, depends entirely on the object. These are our notions and opinions about such matters; we remain passive toward them unless we make our lives conform to their demands. There is no escape from taking a stand with regard to them; and if we reject them, there is no escaping their influence. So, since we have no power to resist them and our only alternative is to conform to them, it is better to accept them.-
-The Art of Living: The Classical Manual on Virtue Happiness, and Effectiveness
by Epictetus, translated by Nicholas P. White
"But you must understand this. We think nothing at all of what is within us, but only everything about our feelings and thoughts and words. Because we often misuse these things, we are quite unaware of them. Then we become angry, then depressed, then envious or fearful or jealous or indignant or self-pitying—all this is within us—but whether it will come out right depends on what sort of intentions we have as to how it should come out. It is not in our power to change any of these things; some are immovable, some are movable. But whether our mind remains at rest, or moves, depends entirely on the object. These are our notions and opinions about such matters; we remain passive toward them unless we make our lives conform to their demands. There is no escape from taking a stand with regard to them; and if we reject them, there is no escaping their influence. So, since we have no power to resist them and our only alternative is to conform to them, it is better to accept them.
But you must understand this. We think nothing at all of what is within us, but only everything about our feelings and thoughts and words. Because we often misuse these things, we are quite unaware of them. Then we become angry, then depressed, then envious or fearful or jealous or indignant or self-pitying—all this is within us—but whether it will come out right depends on what sort of intentions we have as to how it should come out. It is not in our power to change any of these things; some are immovable, some are movable. But whether our mind remains at rest, or moves, depends entirely on the object. These are our notions and opinions about such matters; we remain passive toward them unless we make our lives conform to their demands. There is no escape from taking a stand with regard to them; and if we reject them, there is no escaping their influence. So, since we have no power to resist them and our only alternative is to conform to them, it is better to accept them.
But you must understand this. We think nothing at all of what is within us, but only everything about our feelings and thoughts and words. Because we often misuse these things, we are quite unaware of them. Then we become angry, then depressed, then envious or fearful or jealous or indignant or self-pitying—all this is within us—but whether it will come out right depends on what sort of intentions we have as to how it should come out. It is not in our power to change any of these things; some are immovable, some are movable. But whether our mind remains at rest, or moves, depends entirely on the object. These are our notions and opinions about such matters; we remain passive toward them unless we make our lives conform to their demands. There is no escape from taking a stand with regard to them; and if we reject them, there is no escaping their influence. So, since we have no power to resist them and our only alternative is to conform to them, it is better to accept them.-
-The Art of Living: The Classical Manual on Virtue Happiness, and Effectiveness
by Epictetus, translated by Nicholas P. White
Peter Parker: I know the right way to do this. I just don't always know why it's right.
-Spider-Man 2
All of this makes me wonder about the nature of judgment, which is unavoidable for decision-making. What is "right" anyway? It seems that the good is in flux over time, but the wrong is not; what was wrong in the past is always wrong. How can we judge a situation to be right when it compels us to act against our own conscience? Is it even possible that there are no objective moral truths?
-Epictetus: A Stoic and Socratic Guide to Life
edited by Sharon Lebell
I am bound as a human being -- I am part of humankind.
Conclusion
Although literature is a vast subject, it should be limited to a specific topic and a variety of approach. The two texts are "Confessions" by Augustine and "The Art of Living: The Classical Manual on Virtue Happiness, and Effectiveness" by Epictetus. In this paper there have been analyzed their approaches to the topic of friendship and love. The main text for analysis is "Confessions" by Augustine.
According to the text friendship is a virtue that must be practiced from time to time; also in the text there are elements that prove such assumption including some types of friendships, among them there is True Friendship which can only exist between good people who always help each other without asking for anything in return.