Volume 1 - Discourses - Books I - II - College of Stoic Philosophers

BOOK I. vn. 20-30to the unthinking to be disconcerted., if the}" do notsee what follows in consequence. Whyis it necessary? In order that in this matter we may notbehave unsuitably, nor at haphazard, nor confusedly.And the same holds true of hypotheses and Ivypotheticalarguments. For it is necessary at times topostulate some hypothesis as a sort of stepping-stonefor the subsequent argument. Are we, therefore, togrant any and every hypothesis that isproposed, ornot every one? And if not every one, what one?And when a man has granted an hypothesis,, -must heabide for ever by it and maintain it, or are theretimes when he should abandon it and accept onlythe consequences which follow from it without acceptingthose which are opposed to it ? Yes. But someonesays,"If you once admit an hypothesis thatinvolves a possibility,,I will compel you to be drawnon to an impossibility." Shall the prudent manrefuse to engage with this person, and avoid enquiryand discussion with him ? Yet who but the prudentis capable of using argument and skilful inquestion and answer, and, by Zeus, proof againstdeceit and sophistic fallacies ? But shall he argue,indeed, and then not take pains to avoid conductinghimself recklessly and at haphazard in argument?And if he does not, how will he any longer be thesort of man we think he is ? But without some suchexercise and preparation in formal reasoning, howwill he be able to maintain the continuity of theargument Let them show ? that he will be able,and all these speculations become mere superfluity;they were absurd and inconsistent with our preconceptionof the good man.Why are we still indolent and easy-going and57