Thinking and Political Considerations: Gnômê in the Stoic Political Philosophy of Epictetus.

This article explores the concept of gnômê in the Stoic political philosophy of Epictetus. It discusses the failures of liberalism and the need for virtue in a responsible citizenry. The article examines different theories on the key virtue for liberalism and focuses on the virtue of gnômê, which refers to the capacity for thinking and discerning truth in accordance with nature. The text discusses the concept of gnômê in Epictetus' philosophy and its role in guiding our judgments and actions. It also explores the relationship between gnômê and prohairesis, highlighting their distinct but interrelated roles in guiding our beliefs and actions. The article suggests that cultivating gnômê could potentially offer relief to the difficulties of liberalism by allowing citizens to critically examine and challenge distortions of reality and conform their minds to nature. It also mentions several references related to the topic of Epictetus and Stoicism for further research. [Extracted from the article]