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Single Idea 508
[filed under theme 22. Metaethics / C. The Good / 3. Pleasure / c. Value of pleasure
]
Full Idea
Accept no pleasure unless it is beneficial.
Gist of Idea
Only accept beneficial pleasures
Source
Democritus (attrib) (reports [c.250 BCE], B074)
Book Ref
'Ancilla to the Pre-Socratic Philosophers', ed/tr. Freeman,Kathleen [Harvard 1957], p.101
A Reaction
Maybe all pleasures bestow some benefit - even if they are linked to harm. I struggle to see what is wrong with a harmless and non-beneficial pleasure, and I doubt if anyone could explain it to me.
The
24 ideas
from Democritus (attrib)
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497
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Be virtuous from duty, not from fear
[Democritus (attr)]
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498
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It is a great thing, when one is in adversity, to think of duty
[Democritus (attr)]
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499
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Repentance of shameful deeds is salvation
[Democritus (attr)]
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500
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The wrongdoer is more unfortunate than the person wronged
[Democritus (attr)]
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501
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Reason is a more powerful persuader than gold
[Democritus (attr)]
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502
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Good breeding in men means having a good character
[Democritus (attr)]
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503
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Virtue doesn't just avoid evil, but also doesn't desire it
[Democritus (attr)]
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505
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Good and true are the same for everyone, but pleasures differ
[Democritus (attr)]
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506
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Immoderate desire is the mark of a child, not an adult
[Democritus (attr)]
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507
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Virtuous love consists of decorous desire for the beautiful
[Democritus (attr)]
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508
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Only accept beneficial pleasures
[Democritus (attr)]
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511
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It is better to have one intelligent friend than many unintelligent
[Democritus (attr)]
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514
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Beauty is merely animal without intelligence
[Democritus (attr)]
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518
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A bad life is just a drawn-out death
[Democritus (attr)]
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519
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One must avoid even speaking of evil deeds
[Democritus (attr)]
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520
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The great pleasures come from the contemplation of noble works
[Democritus (attr)]
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521
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We should only choose pleasures which are concerned with the beautiful
[Democritus (attr)]
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522
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Moderation brings more pleasures, and so increases pleasure
[Democritus (attr)]
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523
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It is as brave to master pleasure as to overcome the enemy
[Democritus (attr)]
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1539
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The endless desire for money is a crueller slavery than poverty
[Democritus (attr)]
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524
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Virtue comes more from practice than from nature
[Democritus (attr)]
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525
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Behave well when alone, and feel shame in you own eyes
[Democritus (attr)]
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1541
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It is better to be poor in a democracy than be rich without freedom
[Democritus (attr)]
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526
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Small appetite makes poverty equal to wealth
[Democritus (attr)]
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