more from Plato

Single Idea 136

[catalogued under 22. Metaethics / C. The Good / 1. Goodness / f. Good as pleasure]

Full Idea

Good should be the goal of pleasant activities, rather than pleasure being the goal of good activities.

Gist of Idea

Good should be the aim of pleasant activity, not the other way round

Source

Plato (Gorgias [c.387 BCE], 500a)

Book Reference

Plato: 'Gorgias', ed/tr. Waterfield,Robin [OUP World's Classics 1994], p.93


A Reaction

Nice. Not far off what Aristotle says on the topic. So what activities should we seek out? Narrow the pleasures down to the good ones, or narrow the good ones down to the pleasurable?