God is Pantheistic Essay examples -- Literary Analysis, Epictetus

Epictetuss god is pantheisticBecause his teachings can be interpreted in different ways, Epictetuss cipher of god is unclear. It is unclear whether Epictetuss god is a pantheistic god who is 1 with the universe or whether his god is a personal god that answers prayers and watches everywhere his people like the god of monotheism. While there is little doubt that Epictetus views god as all(prenominal) powerful and all computable, I will palisade that his texts also indicate that Epictetus views god as a pantheistic god possessing none of the defining characteristics of a personal god.There is a significant remainder between what Epictetus means by being all good and what monotheism fructifys as all good. What monotheism defines as all good is perfect morals while Epictetus defines the authorized nature of good as intelligence, knowledge, and right reason (Discourses 82). According to Epictetus, the true nature of good cannot be found in irrational creatures such(prenominal) a s animals and plants. Rather, it can only be found in what is rational (Discourses 83). Only what possesses rationality can have the true nature of good and since the true nature of god is where the true nature of good is, one can only conclude that the true nature of god is rationality (Discourses 81). Epictetuss god does not merely possess these qualities, but he is goodness, he is rationality itself. That is the defining difference between the good of Epictetuss god and that of a personal god. The texts make it clear that Epictetus sees god as all powerful. He describes god as being the journeyman of the universe and that no one could possibly possess power equal to god (Discourses 610, 1411). This could be interpreted as a personification of god because being an artificer and the ab... ...e of ourselves, but simply to preserve ourselves as nature intended (Discourses 823). Epictetuss god is not a caring, personal god as a cursory glance at the texts might have someone believe. While at first glance it may seem as though Epictetuss god appears to be a personal god, a closer look at the texts reveal that his god is a pantheistic one who is not at all like the personal god of monotheism. His god is one with the universe and the true essence of his god is the rationality of intelligence, right reason, and knowledge while a personal god is a separate entity from the world but cares and watches over from above. Although both Epictetuss god and the personal god of monotheism are both all good and all powerful, they are so in very different ways. Epictetuss god is clearly a pantheistic god possessing none of the traits which define a personal god.