Epictetus, The Handbook 67: Bungling the Order

The first and most necessary department of philosophy deals with the application of principles; for instance, 'not to lie'.

The second deals with demonstrations; for instance, 'How comes it that one ought not to lie?'

The third is concerned with establishing and analyzing these processes; for instance, 'How comes it that this is a demonstration? What is demonstration, what is consequence, what is contradiction, what is true, what is false?'

It follows then that the third department is necessary because of the second, and the second because of the first. The first is the most necessary part, and that in which we must rest.

But we reverse the order: we occupy ourselves with the third, and make that our whole concern, and the first we completely neglect. Wherefore we lie, but are ready enough with the demonstration that lying is wrong.

—Epictetus, The Handbook, Chapter 52 (tr Matheson)

One need not have suffered through the world of academia to have experienced this travesty. In education, in politics, in law, or in business, we love discussing the ideas, whether they are the right ideas, and all the possible reasons why they might be the right ideas. We hold colloquiums, we have conferences, we publish reputable articles, we hire experts and consultants, and through all of this we are neglecting the primary goal. What is the use of the idea if it isn’t going to be lived and practiced?

I suppose it is easier to think about what is right, than to actually do what is right. It is indeed essential to understand why something is true, and also to have a deeper sense of what even defines the truth itself. These are necessary and noble endeavors. I can hardly do the what without knowing the why. This does not excuse me to ponder the why without ever doing the what.

We are prone to bungling the order of life, and we give so much more priority to the thinking and talking about the truth than we give to the exercise of truth. Thinking exists for the sake of living, and living does not exist for the sake of thinking.

We can immediately identify the fraud and the charlatan, the typical hypocrite, because he will inevitably speak on all of his thoughts about virtue, but you will not actually see him practicing those virtues.

An old corny academic joke is that those who cannot do, teach. Those who cannot teach, teach others how to teach. Those who cannot teach others how to teach, become administrators. Those who cannot administer, are made members of the Board. I challenge you to find a single walk of life where the norm is any different.

Philosophy is, rightly understood, not a mere intellectual exercise, because it requires applying all that theory into concrete practice. The end is superior to the means. Don’t just tell me what you think, but show me how you live. 

Written in 11/2002