Diogenes Laërtius · fl. 3rd century CE
Lives of Eminent Philosophers 7.46 — Diogenes Laërtius on the Stoics
Translation by R. D. Hicks (1925)
Diogenes Laërtius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers 7.46
Reported speech · Diogenes Laërtius on the Stoics
There are two species of presentation, the one apprehending a real object, the other not. The former, which they take to be the test of reality, is defined as that which proceeds from a real object, agrees with that object itself, and has been imprinted seal-fashion and stamped upon the mind: the latter, or non-apprehending, that which does not proceed from any real object, or, if it does, fails to agree with the reality itself, not being clear or distinct. Dialectic, they said, is indispensable and is itself a virtue, embracing other particular virtues under it. Freedom from precipitancy is a knowledge when to give or withhold the mind’s assent to impressions. By wariness they mean a strong presumption against what at the moment seems probable, so as not to be taken in by it.
Cite this passage
Diogenes Laërtius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers 7.46 (on the Stoics), tr. R. D. Hicks (1925)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/lives-of-the-stoics/7.46
Diogenes Laërtius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers, Book VII, tr. R. D. Hicks (Loeb, 1925). Text: Perseus Digital Library (CC BY-SA 4.0). Sources and licences
In plain English
AI-written notesSeparates impressions that match a real object from those that do not, and treats careful reasoning as a virtue in itself. Two of its parts are holding back from hasty agreement until you know when to accept an impression, and keeping a healthy suspicion of whatever merely seems likely at first glance so that you are not fooled.
Older wording
- “precipitancy”
- — rashness, jumping to conclusions
- “assent”
- — agreement or acceptance of an impression as true
- “presentation”
- — a mental impression
Themes and situations
- Judgements and impressions
- Virtue and character
- Learning and progress
- A hard decision
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