Musonius Rufus, Lectures 8.1

Lecture 8: That kings should also study philosophy.

When one of the kings from Syria once came to him (for at that time there were still kings in Syria, vassals of the Romans), amongst many other things he had to say to the man were the following words in particular. Do not imagine, he said, that it is more appropriate for anyone to study philosophy than for you, nor for any other reason than because you are a king.

For the first duty of a king is to be able to protect and benefit his people, and a protector and benefactor must know what is good for a man and what is bad, what is helpful and what harmful, what advantageous and what disadvantageous, inasmuch as it is plain that those who ally themselves with evil come to harm, while those who cleave to good enjoy protection, and those who are deemed worthy of help and advantage enjoy benefits, while those who involve themselves in things disadvantageous and harmful suffer punishment.

When I listen to people describing the qualities they admire in their political leaders, I will often hear them praise a determined will, the ability to negotiate a deal, experience in the workings of government, or a commitment to this or that popular ideology.

There is much talk about finally getting the job done, about pursuing a glorious vision, about helping people find better jobs to make more money, or about defending the country from vicious aggressors, whether foreign or domestic.

We are assured that our dreams will be fulfilled, that there will be a chicken in every pot and a car in every garage, and that whatever we need to be comfortable and safe will be provided for us.

Yet how often will I hear our leaders considered by a far more fundamental standard, whether they actually know the difference between right and wrong?

No, I do not mean simply repeating certain catchphrases, or appealing to vague sentiments. If you tell me that you support decency, I will ask how you define virtue. If you insist that you are committed to honesty, I will question what you mean by the truth. If you praise democracy, I will wonder if you think a majority can become a mob. If you proclaim that you pray to God, I will enquire about what worldly glory you would surrender for your love of Him.

Most importantly, I will only believe what you say when you prove it through your actions, not with photo opportunities, but when I see you break a sweat and take some punches, day after day. Then I will begin to pay attention to you.

There are skills and attributes, such as intelligence, eloquence, or charm, that will surely be of great assistance to any leader, but none of them will be of any benefit at all without being informed by a conscience. I am quite wary when someone promises comfort ahead of justice, or sells a prosperity of the body at the expense of a prosperity of the soul. Please explain to me what you mean by making my life “better”.

I am not cynical about politics at all, because man is by nature social animal. I am, however, quite dubious of those who play with shared human needs to feed their own wealth, power, and vanity.

“Oh, don’t be so silly! Most people can’t be bothered to ask, let alone answer, questions like that, and politicians certainly can’t be expected to become philosophers!”

Thank you, I’m glad we’ve come to the meat of the matter. These questions are not obscure academic exercises, but concern the most immediate sense of meaning and purpose. If I don’t know what I am living for, what is the point of living? If a man can learn to file his taxes, he can surely be bothered to reflect on the difference between good and evil.

And no, I would certainly not expect politicians to become philosophers. I would rather hope that they already were philosophers, well before they decided to guide the rest of us in how we should live.

I will not fight with you over which brand of party you support, or which “—ism” you embrace, but I will ask you to explain why you think it is best, right down to your measure of right and wrong.

To do this, you will need to argue carefully and soundly from first principles about human nature; you will need to be a philosopher before anything else. A degree is hardly necessary, but an open and critical mind is a prerequisite.
 

Written in 8/1999