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This is the viderecording of the joint presentation I and my collaborator, Harald Kavli, provided at the 2nd Brazilian Epictetus Seminar, focused on making sense of a short passage in Epictetus' Discourses, book 1, chapter 17. Harald and I present for the first hour, and then are joined by Aldo Dinucci and Marcus Resende for discussion of the topics.

Epictetus says: "tout' estin prohairesin prohairesis" in the context of explaining how one determines one's decisions and actions. That is, prohairesis (the faculty of choice, volition) determines or compels prohairesis.

In the course of the presentation, we do the following:
Provide a short history of the term prohairesis up to Epictetus
Discuss Epictetus’ originality and orthodoxy as a Stoic philosopher
Engage in a short discussion of translation of the term prohairesis
Consider some relevant passages in Epictetus about prohairesis, its scope, its freedom, its value
Engage some of the literature, considering question of prohairesis, the rational faculty, and the hegemonikon
Discuss what key ideas/distinctions is prohairesis connected with? (e.g. ep’hemin, khresis, assent)
Examine Epictetus’ model of how prohairesis determines, and is determined, shaped, or structured
Discuss the feature of prohairesis as reflexive, acting upon itself
Identify how prohairesis compels or determine itself prudently and rationally
Discuss how Prohairesis becomes prey to bad things, to unfreedom, misshaping itself
Addressing the question: Is prohairesis effectively the will, a locus of freedom in Stoic compatibilism

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#Epictetus #Stoicism #Volition