Single Idea 521

[catalogued under 22. Metaethics / C. The Good / 3. Pleasure / b. Types of pleasure]

Full Idea

One should choose not every pleasure, but only that concerned with the beautiful.

Clarification

'Beauty' is the Greek word 'kalos', which also translates as 'fine'

Gist of Idea

We should only choose pleasures which are concerned with the beautiful

Source

Democritus (attrib) (reports [c.250 BCE], B207), quoted by John Stobaeus - Anthology 3.05.22

Book Reference

'Ancilla to the Pre-Socratic Philosophers', ed/tr. Freeman,Kathleen [Harvard 1957], p.111


A Reaction

The pleasures we should prefer are those which involve the whole person, rather than the mere stimulation of one sense. Sez me.