Simplicius on Free Choice and on What Is Up to Us

Abstract

The paper seeks to understand Simplicius’ notion of the relation between opinion, desire, pursuit and aversion, all of which are said to be up to us, on the one hand and free choice (προαίρεσις) on the other. In commenting on passages in Epictetus’ Handbook, the Neoplatonic philosopher explains it in terms of a causal relation where free choice is responsible for the arousal of these mental phenomena. Properly executed, opinion, desire, pursuit and aversion are manifestations of human autonomy. The root of human autonomy, however, is free choice, insofar as it is in line with nature as a normative criterion which gives rise to appropriate actions.