(A guest post by Benny Voncken.)
Impressions come in four ways. Things are, and appear so to us; or they are not, and do not appear to be: or they are, and do not appear to be: or they are not, and yet appear to be.
Epictetus, Discourses, Book 1, Chapter 27.1
In The Discourses, Book 1.27, Epictetus dives into one of the core topics in Stoicism: how impressions arise, and what we should have ready to deal with them.
Understanding our impressions, where they come from, and learning how to handle them, is key to living a Stoic life. The Stoics teach us that only virtue is good, and that we should live in accordance with Nature. But none of that matters if we’re always led astray by the events that happen around us. That’s why this topic is so central: unless we learn to perceive the world accurately, we’ll struggle to live wisely.
Read the full summary of Discourse 1.27 here: https://viastoica.com/understanding-stoic-impressions/
Every encounter with the world begins with what the Stoics called phantasiai (φαντασίαι), our first impressions or appearances. Whether it’s seeing a vase of flowers, feeling hungry, or thinking someone is judging us, these impressions are impulsive and arise before we’ve had a chance to evaluate them. That’s why understanding how to deal with and test these impressions is essential to living virtuously and in accordance with nature.
The Four Types of Stoic Impressions
Let’s break down what Epictetus means by the four ways impressions can arise, and use some examples to explore how they play out in daily life.
1. Things are, and appear so to us.
This is a correct impression. Things are as they seem, and our judgment is aligned with reality. We can give assent to these kinds of appearances and base our decisions on them. They allow us to act in line with reason and logic.
Some examples:
- You see a vase with flowers on the table and it is actually there.
- Someone appears angry and after asking, you know they are angry.
- You feel hungry and your body genuinely needs food.
- You evaluate your skills for a task and judge them accurately.
2. Things are not, and do not appear to be.
This is also a correct impression. There is nothing there, and we don’t perceive anything. Because our perception reflects reality, we are in a good position to act appropriately.
Some examples:
- There is no vase of flowers on the table and you don’t see one.
- Someone isn’t angry and after asking you know that they aren’t angry.
- You’re not hungry and your body doesn’t need food.
- There’s no demand for your skills and you acknowledge this by assessing your skills accurately.
False Appearances
Now we enter the territory of false impressions, the ones that can mislead us. These are where the Stoic practice becomes vital, because failing to test these impressions can lead us to error. Even if we apply reason, it will be based on a false appearance, so our actions will miss the mark.
3. Things are, and do not appear to be.
In this case, we miss reality. We may be distracted, unaware, or do not question and test what is the truth of the situation.
Examples:
- There is a vase on the table but you don’t see it.
- Someone is angry but you fail to notice or test it, and think they are not angry.
- You don’t feel hungry but your body needs food.
- Your skills are required for a task, but you underestimate yourself.
4. Things are not, yet appear to be.
Here, we imagine something that isn’t real. We create a false impression that can easily lead us astray. Many conspiracies and anxieties fall into this category.
Examples:
- There is no vase on the table but you think there is.
- Someone isn’t angry, yet we think they are angry.
- You feel hungry but your body doesn’t require food.
- Your skills are insufficient—but you believe you’re fully capable.
What Is Our Task?
Thus it is the task of the educated man to form the right judgment in all these cases.
Epictetus, Discourses, 1.27.2
Now that we know what kinds of impressions exist, the next step is clear: learn to judge them well. If we leave it at theory, any of this becomes useless. Stoicism is meant to be lived, not merely studied. Epictetus calls us to make the right judgments, especially when it’s difficult.
The Stoic ideal is the sage, who never assents to a false impression. But most of us are not sages. For us the main goal is to make progress towards the ideal and keep practicing. The more we apply and internalize this process, the better we will be able to pause after the primary impulse, test our impressions to understand it, and apply reason and logic to decide on the proper action.
And we continue developing it for the rest of our lives.
Compassion for Those in Error
Socrates taught that no one does wrong on purpose. People act badly because they don’t know what is good. They simply misjudge the impression. This is why we should show compassion to those who err, they don’t yet understand the four types of impressions, or how to test them.
If possible, we can try to help them learn. If not, we take the advice of Marcus Aurelius: endure them.
Read more about this in the summary of Discourse 1.28: https://viastoica.com/why-not-be-angry/
How to test the Impressions
Practice, then, from the start to say to every harsh impression, ‘You are an impression, and not at all the thing you appear to be.’ Then examine it and test it by these rules which you have, and firstly, and chiefly, by this: whether the impression has to do with the things which are up to us, or those which are not; and if it has to do with things that are not up to us, be ready to reply, ‘it is nothing to me.’
Epictetus, Handbook, 1
Part of this practice involves pausing before approving of the impressions. The fact that you can speak to the impression, means that you are taking some distance from it. But perhaps you need some more time to pause, so see what works for you. Take a deep breath, go for a walk, or do some exercise, but make sure to put some time between you and the impression. The more you practice this, the more the time of the pause will become smaller.
What Epictetus tells us here is that we need to first make sure whether it is something that we can control, like our thoughts, opinions, or actions. Or whether they are not up to us, like our body, the weather, opinions of others, or any other external.
For example, when someone is angry with me, this is an external, so it is nothing to me. But if my first impression is that this is horrible or frightening, then this is up to me. I need to assess this value judgment before acting.
The Impression of Death
One final example Epictetus gives in this discourse is death.
When death appears an evil, we ought immediately to remember that evils may be avoided, but death is a necessity.
Epictetus, Discourses, 1.27.7
Most people fall into false impressions here, types three and four. They miss the fact that death is natural (type three), and they add a layer of fear or negativity to it (type four). But how can something natural be evil?
I cannot escape death; but can I not escape the dread of it? Must I die trembling and lamenting? For the origin of the distress is wishing for something that does not come about.
Epictetus, Discourses, 1.27.9–10
Start Where You Are
Some Stoic concepts form the foundation for everything else, but are not highlighted as they should be. This is one of them. Understanding Stoic impressions gives you a way to check your perceptions before you act.
You don’t need to go back and reevaluate everything in your life. Start from where you are. Use the knowledge and experience you already have. Notice where you may have misunderstood, and gently begin to correct those errors.
Talk to people around you. Or, if you want to dive deeper, connect with a Stoic coach to test your impressions. You can book a free consultation with a Stoic coach on https://viastoica.com/stoic-coaching/
The goal is not perfection but progress. Keep moving forward, and remember to be kind and compassionate to yourself and others, even when you (or they) get it wrong.
About the author:
Benny Voncken is the co-founder of Viastoica.com and the Via Stoica Podcast. He is a Stoic coach and teacher who uses Stoicism to help others find more purpose and peace, just as he is doing. You can sign up for the Via Stoica Newsletter, The Pause, for a monthly moment of reflection. https://viastoica.com/subscribe-to-via-stoica-newsletter/
