A. Answer the following questions :
1. Where was Robert Lynd born ?
Ans - Robert Lynd was born in Belfast .
2. What in the name of the American poet philosopher whose work the author has read ?
Ans- Ralph Waldo Emerson is the American poet philosopher whose work the author has read .
3. According to the author , most philosophers write as though life were an argument conducted in .,,,,, What ?
Ans- According to the author , most philosophers write as though life were an argument conducted in jargon , but discussing , among other things , how men should behave in the affairs of ordinary life .
4. Who does the author want to conduct the laborious quest for wisdom ?
Ans - The author wants the philosophers to conduct the laborious quest for wisdom .
5. Whose son in the slave who does not bring the hot water supposed to be ?
Ans- The slave, who does not bring the hot water supposed to be , is the son of Zeus .
B. Answer the following questions .
1. Who was Marcus Aurelius and what is the name of the book in which we find his philosophy ?
Ans- Marcus Aurelius was a Roman emperor and also a stoic philosopher who was born in 121 A.D. and died in 180 A.D. We find his philosophy in his book "Meditation".
2. In what context does Lynd mention Solomon ?
Ans - Lynd mention Solomon in the context of his desire for wisdom . He says that he desires wisdom as eagerly as Solomon .
3. Who was Socrates and what did he promote ?
Ans- Socrates was a Greek philosopher who lived between 469 BC and 399 BC. He promoted indifference to external things . He popularized the love of enquiry that would lead to knowledge and justice .
4. Why is Pliny the Elder famous ?
Ans- Pliny the Elder was a Roman who lived between 23 and 79 A.D. He was one of the first naturalists of the world . He is famous for the prodigious Natural History that runs into 37 books.
5. Who is Zeus ?
Ans - Zeus is the king of the Greek pantheon of gods and goddess . He is the epitome of power and order .
C. Answer the following questions briefly in your own words :
1. Discuss the circumstances that lead to Lynd's reading Epictetus ?
Ans - Lynd overheard a piece conversation in a hotel lounge where one person asked another if the latter had "read Epictetus lately '. Lynd had been looking for a book that would make him wise instantly . He realized that he had some of the works of Epictetus on his bookshelves . He felt that he had not got the desired result for making him wise in no time even after reading the works of Emerson and Aurelius . So , after hearing the conversation in the hotel lounge Lynd decided to read Epictetus .
It was the circumstances that led to Lynd's reading Epictetus .
2. On what points does Lynd find himself agreeing with Epictetus ?
Ans- Lynd agreed to nearly everything Epictetus said . He agreed to 'Epictetus ' philosophy of indifference to pain , death and poverty . He and Epictetus were one on necessity of not being troubled about anything over which one has no control , whether the oppression of tyrants or the peril of earthquakes . However , though he agreed to Epictetus in theory , yet he could not entertain them for a moment for purpose of conduct .
3. Why does the author end with the phrase " it was only a dream " ?
Ans- According to the author the philosophical reasoning is sound . But still we cannot follow philosophy in real - life situation . Philosophers want us to discard property; but we cannot do so living in the society we have . The truth is nearly everybody agreed that such men as Socrates and Epictetus were right in their indifference to external things . But , even while admitting it , most of us would be alarmed if one of our dearest friends began to put the philosophy of Epictetus into practice too literally . What we recognize as wisdom in Epictetus we should look on as insanity in an acquaintance .
We believe that philosophers are wise people , but the material things are worth bothering about . The people who listened to Socrates and Epictetus never really attempted to become philosophers themselves . Lynd wonders whether they were , like us , hopeful of achieving wisdom , not by practice but by magic potion administered by a wiser man than they . It is in fact , not possible to be wise without effort by listening to a voice , or by reading a book . It is in this context Lynd concludes that trying to be wise without effort is never possible ; " it was only a dream ".
D. Answer the following questions :
1. Critically examine Robert Lynd's quest for instant wisdom ?
Ans - Robert Lynd begins the essay by expressing his quest for instant wisdom only to come to the conclusion that " it was only a dream ". He wondered if Epictetus book was the book of wisdom that would make him wise instantly . He desired wisdom that can be obtained with very little effort . He had no time for laborious quest of philosophy . He wished the philosophers to perform the laborious quest and ate the end of it , to feed him with the fruits of their labours . That is why at one time he read Emerson and Marcus Aurelius . He hoped to become wise by reading them . He agreed to what they said , but in practice he could not follow them ; and he remained the same man . After reading Epictetus , Lynd feels that he cannot practice Epictetus theory in real - life . He is far from being wise like him .
We believe that philosophers are wise people , but he material things are worth bothering about . The people who listened to Socrates and Epictetus never really attempted to become philosophers themselves . Lynd wonders whether they were , like us , hopeful of achieving wisdom, not by practice but by magic potion administered by a wiser man than they . It is , infact , not possible to be wise without effort by listening to a voice , or by reading a book . It is in this context , Lynd concludes that trying to be wise without effort is never possible ; " it was only a dream ".
2. Trace Lynd's reading experience with Epictetus ?
Ans - Lynd wanted to be wise with very little efforts . He had no time or energy for the laborious quest of philosophy . He wished the philosophers to perform the laborious quest and at the end of it , to feed him with the fruits of their labour . With that hope to be wise instantly and with little effort , Lynd read Epictetus.
He read Epictetus with considerable excitement . He agreed with nearly everything Epictetus said. He agreed to 'Epictetus' philosophy of indifference to pain , death and poverty . He and Epictetus were one on necessity of not being troubled about anything over which one has no , control, whether the oppression of tyrants or the peril of earthquake . However , though he agreed to Epictetus in theory , yet he could not entertain them for a moment for purpose of conduct .
Even in small things of life Lynd cannot comfort himself like a philosopher of the school of Epictetus . Lynd says that while Epictetus advise that one should not get angry at not getting desired services at a restaurant , Lynd finds it difficult not to be angry . Again , when Epictetus wants us to be indifferent to the loss of material possessions , Lynd agrees with him in theory . But, in practice , he is unable to obey him .
Lynd , after reading Epictetus , concludes that his dream of becoming wise instantly with little effort will remain a dream only . He cannot be as wise as Epictetus by merely reading him .
