Erlend D. MacGillivray’s Epictetus and Laypeople: A Stoic Stance toward the Rest of Humanity explores the understanding that ancient philosophers had towards the vast majority of people at the time, those who had no philosophical knowledge or adherence—laypeople. After exploring how philosophical identity was established in antiquity, this book examines the Stoic philosopher Epictetus, who reflected upon laypeople with remarkable frequency. MacGillivray shows that Epictetus maintained his stance that a small and distinguishable group of philosophically aware individuals existed, alongside his conviction that most of humanity can be inclined to act in accordance with virtuous principles by their dependence upon preconceptions, civic law, popular religion, exempla, and the adoption of primitive conditions, among other means. This book also highlights other Stoics and their commentators to show that the means of lay reform that MacGillivray explores were not just implicitly understood in antiquity, but reveal a well-developed system of thought in the school which has, until now, evaded the notice of modern scholars.

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MacGillivray (independent scholar) explores these two questions in Epictetus. What distinguishes the philosopher from the non-philosopher? How can the non-philosopher illuminate the philosopher's views? The first part of the book treats the first question. Philosophers are people who can articulate their school's ideas and who live in accord with the philosophy's ethical demands. Laypeople, on the other hand, are subject to vices. Philosophers should, in general, avoid public engagement with laypeople. These conclusions set up the rest of the book, which investigates the second question. Here the layperson takes a more positive role, whether as virtuous early humans or as moderns supported by moral preconceptions, law, popular religion, and exempla. This book helps illuminate Epictetus's distinctive interest in discussing ordinary people, instead of hypothetical descriptions of the perfect, and impossible, Stoic sage. It likewise contributes to a greater understanding of Stoic philosophy's disinterest in venerating their founders and their willingness to find instruction in ideas and activities of those outside their school. . . the book is accessible to non-specialist audiences, as translations accompany Latin and Greek. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty.