God is Pantheistic Essay examples -- Literary Analysis, Epictetus

Epictetuss divinity is pantheisticBecause his teachings passel be interpreted in different ways, Epictetuss view of matinee idol is ill- settled. It is unclear whether Epictetuss idol is a pantheistic beau ideal who is one and only(a) with the population or whether his matinee idol is a private matinee idol that answers prayers and watches over his slew like the graven image of monotheism. While there is little doubt that Epictetus views god as all powerful and all adept, I will signal that his texts also indicate that Epictetus views god as a pantheistic god possessing none of the defining characteristics of a ain god.There is a portentous difference between what Epictetus means by be all hot and what monotheism defines as all good. What monotheism defines as all good is perfect ethical motive while Epictetus defines the true nature of good as intelligence, knowledge, and right ground (Discourses 82). According to Epictetus, the true nature of good cannot be in stall in irrational creatures such as animals and plants. Rather, it can only be found in what is rational (Discourses 83). Only what possesses rationality can pitch the true nature of good and since the true nature of god is where the true nature of good is, one can only reason 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 artificer 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 intend (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 calculate 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.