Ideas of Ariston, by Theme

[Greek, 290 - 230 BCE, Born on the island of Chios. Taught by Zeno of Citium, the founder of the Stoic movement. Lectured in the Cynosarges.]

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2. Reason / C. Styles of Reason / 1. Dialectic

20768	Like spiderswebs, dialectical arguments are clever but useless
	Full Idea: He said that dialectical arguments were like spiderswebs: although they seem to indicate craftsmanlike skill, they are useless.
	From: report of Ariston (fragments/reports [c.250 BCE]) by Diogenes Laertius - Lives of Eminent Philosophers 07.161
	A reaction: Useful for the spider, but useless to Ariston.

23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 2. Elements of Virtue Theory / f. The Mean

3049	The chief good is indifference to what lies midway between virtue and vice
	Full Idea: The chief good is to live in perfect indifference to all those things which are of an intermediate character between virtue and vice.
	From: report of Ariston (fragments/reports [c.250 BCE]) by Diogenes Laertius - Lives of Eminent Philosophers 07.2.1

23. Ethics / D. Deontological Ethics / 1. Deontology

3549	Ariston says rules are useless for the virtuous and the non-virtuous
	Full Idea: Ariston says that rules are useless if you are virtuous, and useless if you are not.
	From: report of Ariston (fragments/reports [c.250 BCE]) by Julia Annas - The Morality of Happiness 2.4