Single Idea 6040

[catalogued under 22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 1. Nature of Ethics / h. Against ethics]

Full Idea

Aenesidemus does not allow either happiness or pleasure or prudence or any other goal held by anyone on the basis of philosophical doctrine as the goal of life; rather, he says that there just is no such thing as a goal which is recognised by all people.

Gist of Idea

There is no universal goal to human life

Source

report of Aenesidemus (Pyrrhonian Arguments (frags) [c.60 BCE], Bk 8) by 'Photius Bibliotheca' - Aenesidimus (frags) 170b

Book Reference

'Hellenistic Philosophy: Intro Readings', ed/tr. Inwood,B. /Gerson,L. [Hackett 1988], p.184


A Reaction

This is probably the dominant modern (post-Darwinian, existentialist) view. Personally I am sympathetic to the Aristotelian view that (to some extent) appropriate goals for life can be inferred from a fairly stable human nature.