The Discourses, a work attributed to the ancient Stoic philosopher Epictetus, is believed to have been compiled from Epictetus’s lectures by his student Arrian. Some claim that Arrian himself authored The Discourses and falsely attributed authorship to Epictetus. That is, however, highly unlikely. Epictetus’s views were well known by his contemporaries in Roman society; if Arrian tried to pass off his own views as Epictetus’s, this deception would soon be exposed.
Summarize Argument
The author concludes that the claim that Arrian wrote The Discourses and falsely attributed the work to Epictetus is highly unlikely. He supports this by saying that Epictetus’s views were widely known, so if Arrian had tried to pass off his own views as Epictetus’s, the deception would have been quickly exposed.
Notable Assumptions
The author assumes that there was a clear and easily identifiable distinction between the views of Epictetus and Arrian, which would make any attempt to falsely attribute the work apparent. He also assumes that Epictetus’s contemporaries could have exposed the deception publicly and that that exposure would still be known today. Finally, he assumes that there aren’t any other reasons that may have motivated Arrian to falsely attribute The Discourses to Epictetus.
A
The Discourses would have received very little attention in Roman society if that work had not been attributed to Epictetus.
This weakens the argument by suggesting that Arrian may have been motivated to falsely attribute The Discourses to Epictetus in order for the work to receive more public attention.
B
Some of the philosophy that modern scholars believe Arrian subscribed to can be found in The Discourses.
This doesn’t strengthen the argument because, whether Arrian wrote The Discourses and falsely attributed it to Epictetus or just compiled his teacher’s lectures, it makes sense that some of Arrian’s own philosophy would be in the work.
C
Arrian in some ways modeled himself on the historian Xenophon, who had written works that he falsely attributed to the philosopher Socrates.
The fact that Arrian modeled himself in some ways on a historian who falsely attributed works to a famous philosopher does not strengthen the argument. We don’t know which of Xenophon’s ideas or practices Arrian adopted.
D
Arrian had high status in Roman society, which he knew would be undermined if he were shown to be dishonest.
This strengthens the argument by giving another reason why Arrian likely wouldn’t have falsely attributed The Discourses to Epictetus. Arrian’s high status would be damaged if he were seen as dishonest, and it’s reasonable to assume he wouldn’t want that.
E
During his long career, Arrian was a soldier, a consul of Rome, and a governor in Turkey.
This fails to address whether or not it is likely that Arrian falsely attributed The Discourses to Epictetus. Arrian’s various positions throughout his long career are not relevant to the argument.
A
Dieters often become preoccupied with worries about their weight losses and calorie intakes.
B
Many of the pilots, including both dieters and nondieters, consumed alcohol before the tests, and dieting increases vulnerability to alcohol’s effects.
C
Reduced-calorie dieting makes most people more vulnerable to irritability and fatigue.
D
Many of the pilots chose to go on the diet because they were curious about whether one’s weight affects one’s piloting skills.
E
Whereas alcohol has no effect on the level of glucose (a nutrient vital to brain function) in the bloodstream, dieting lowers the glucose level.
A
Birds compete with spiders for insect prey.
B
The biologists counted spiderwebs as a means of estimating the spider population.
C
Spiderwebs are more prevalent on Guam than on nearby islands.
D
The two bird species remaining on Guam have proliferated since the arrival of the brown tree snakes.
E
Brown tree snakes have proven difficult to eradicate on Guam.
Some novelists who can vividly imagine large numbers of characters with different attitudes and personalities have doubts about the genuine value of their own desires.
Some novelists who can vividly imagine large numbers of characters are not popular novelists.
A
Some novelists who can vividly imagine large numbers of characters with attitudes and personalities completely different from those of the others are not popular.
B
Some novelists are incapable of empathizing with people whose goals are completely different from their own.
C
Some people who lack the ability to empathize with those who have goals completely different from their own are popular novelists.
