What subject, I might ask, lies before us for our present discussion?
“Pleasure.”
Submit it to the rule, put it in the balance. Ought the good to be something which is worthy to inspire confidence and trust?
“It ought.”
Is it proper to have confidence in anything which is insecure?
“No.”
Has pleasure, then, any certainty in it?
“No.”
Away with it then! Cast it from the scales and drive it far away from the region of good things. But if your sight is not keen, and you are not satisfied with one set of scales, try another.
Is it proper to be elated at what is good?
“It is.”
Is it proper, then, to be elated at the pleasure of the moment? Be careful how you say that it is proper. If you do, I shall not count you worthy of the scales.
Thus, things are judged and weighed if we have standards ready to test them: and in fact the work of philosophy is to investigate and firmly establish such standards; and the duty of the good man is to proceed to apply the decisions arrived at.
“Pleasure.”
Submit it to the rule, put it in the balance. Ought the good to be something which is worthy to inspire confidence and trust?
“It ought.”
Is it proper to have confidence in anything which is insecure?
“No.”
Has pleasure, then, any certainty in it?
“No.”
Away with it then! Cast it from the scales and drive it far away from the region of good things. But if your sight is not keen, and you are not satisfied with one set of scales, try another.
Is it proper to be elated at what is good?
“It is.”
Is it proper, then, to be elated at the pleasure of the moment? Be careful how you say that it is proper. If you do, I shall not count you worthy of the scales.
Thus, things are judged and weighed if we have standards ready to test them: and in fact the work of philosophy is to investigate and firmly establish such standards; and the duty of the good man is to proceed to apply the decisions arrived at.
—from Epictetus, Discourses 2.11
So as to assure us that philosophy does not have to be such a perplexing task, Epictetus offers us an example of determining the measure, the sort of inquiry that any thoughtful and patient person can practice, without any training in scholarly subtleties.
And we should not be intimated by obscure terms, especially when the experts hurl them at us in Greek, because there are perfectly good words, from our own everyday language, that can do the job just as well.
Begin with the thing that most people seek in their daily lives: “pleasure”. Then add what is probably the most common adjective: “good”. What does each of these mean? How can they be weighed against one another? We will not get very far if we don’t understand the proper relationship between them.
I often suggest a dry run before addressing the really important stuff, so ask yourself what qualities you might attribute to a good car. You would certainly appreciate style, and luxury, and breathtaking performance, but what use would any of that be if the car is not reliable? I once knew a fellow who owned a Maserati Biturbo, and he was so deeply sad, because it was always at the mechanic and never out on the road.
The same will be true in the more essential aspects of our lives. When push comes to shove, can I rely upon this or that situation to serve me well? I recall the many opportunities I assumed would set me free, only to still find myself dissatisfied. I think of how often I had faith in a so-called friend, and I was then left high and dry when the going got tough. I recognize how many times I made the wrong bet, when the sure thing was right in front of me all along.
With that in mind, will pleasure be a constant source of benefit? Is it absolutely trustworthy, or must I attach various conditions? Even the avowed hedonist is forced to admit how his desires have regularly left him in the lurch, so if gratification is merely relative, it cannot be synonymous with the good we are seeking.
Whatever is contingent has to proceed from what is necessary, or to put it more simply, once I admit how “it depends on . . . ”, I have not yet isolated a meaningful standard. I may call it fun, but that doesn’t make it good.
Coming from a different angle, I don’t believe I have recently heard anyone speak of being “elated”, though I constantly observe people being “excited”, “super-excited”, and “stoked”. We are quick to praise unbridled enthusiasm, though we unfortunately forget why the difference lies in the object of our eagerness. A passion for treachery is far removed from a passion for fidelity. Let us choose our pleasures wisely, so as not to let them destroy us.
Where is the balance? What is the greater, and what is the lesser? To establish the measure, to discover the rule that applies to the particulars, is a requirement for life, not merely an option. This is why we are all called to be authentic philosophers.
So as to assure us that philosophy does not have to be such a perplexing task, Epictetus offers us an example of determining the measure, the sort of inquiry that any thoughtful and patient person can practice, without any training in scholarly subtleties.
And we should not be intimated by obscure terms, especially when the experts hurl them at us in Greek, because there are perfectly good words, from our own everyday language, that can do the job just as well.
Begin with the thing that most people seek in their daily lives: “pleasure”. Then add what is probably the most common adjective: “good”. What does each of these mean? How can they be weighed against one another? We will not get very far if we don’t understand the proper relationship between them.
I often suggest a dry run before addressing the really important stuff, so ask yourself what qualities you might attribute to a good car. You would certainly appreciate style, and luxury, and breathtaking performance, but what use would any of that be if the car is not reliable? I once knew a fellow who owned a Maserati Biturbo, and he was so deeply sad, because it was always at the mechanic and never out on the road.
The same will be true in the more essential aspects of our lives. When push comes to shove, can I rely upon this or that situation to serve me well? I recall the many opportunities I assumed would set me free, only to still find myself dissatisfied. I think of how often I had faith in a so-called friend, and I was then left high and dry when the going got tough. I recognize how many times I made the wrong bet, when the sure thing was right in front of me all along.
With that in mind, will pleasure be a constant source of benefit? Is it absolutely trustworthy, or must I attach various conditions? Even the avowed hedonist is forced to admit how his desires have regularly left him in the lurch, so if gratification is merely relative, it cannot be synonymous with the good we are seeking.
Whatever is contingent has to proceed from what is necessary, or to put it more simply, once I admit how “it depends on . . . ”, I have not yet isolated a meaningful standard. I may call it fun, but that doesn’t make it good.
Coming from a different angle, I don’t believe I have recently heard anyone speak of being “elated”, though I constantly observe people being “excited”, “super-excited”, and “stoked”. We are quick to praise unbridled enthusiasm, though we unfortunately forget why the difference lies in the object of our eagerness. A passion for treachery is far removed from a passion for fidelity. Let us choose our pleasures wisely, so as not to let them destroy us.
Where is the balance? What is the greater, and what is the lesser? To establish the measure, to discover the rule that applies to the particulars, is a requirement for life, not merely an option. This is why we are all called to be authentic philosophers.
—Reflection written in 8/2001
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