Ideas from 'fragments/reports' by Aristippus the elder [395 BCE], by Theme Structure
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1. Philosophy / D. Nature of Philosophy / 6. Hopes for Philosophy
1749
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If all laws were abolished, philosophers would still live as they do now
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Full Idea:
If all laws were abolished, philosophers would still live as they do now.
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From:
Aristippus the elder (fragments/reports [c.395 BCE]), quoted by Diogenes Laertius - Lives of Eminent Philosophers 02.Ar.4
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A reaction:
Presumably philosophers develop inner laws which other people lack.
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22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 1. Nature of Ethics / h. Against ethics
3558
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Only the Cyrenaics reject the idea of a final moral end
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Full Idea:
The Cyrenaics are the most radical ancient moral philosophers, since they are the only school explicitly to reject the importance of achieving an overall final end.
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From:
report of Aristippus the elder (fragments/reports [c.395 BCE]) by Julia Annas - The Morality of Happiness 11.1
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A reaction:
This looks like dropping out, but it could also be Keats's 'negative capability', of simply participating in existence without needing to do anything about it.
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22. Metaethics / C. The Good / 2. Happiness / d. Routes to happiness
5835
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The road of freedom is the surest route to happiness
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Full Idea:
The surest road to happiness is not the path through rule nor through servitude, but through liberty.
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From:
report of Aristippus the elder (fragments/reports [c.395 BCE]) by Xenophon - Memorabilia of Socrates 2.1.9
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A reaction:
The great anarchist slogan. Personally I don't believe it, because I agree a little with Hobbes that authority is required to make cooperation flourish, and that is essential for full happiness. If I were a slave, I would agree with Aristippus.
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23. Ethics / A. Egoism / 3. Cyrenaic School
1751
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Pleasure is the good, because we always seek it, it satisfies us, and its opposite is the most avoidable thing
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Full Idea:
Pleasure is the good because we desire it from childhood, when we have it we seek nothing further, and the most avoidable thing is its opposite, pain.
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From:
report of Aristippus the elder (fragments/reports [c.395 BCE]) by Diogenes Laertius - Lives of Eminent Philosophers 02.Ar.8
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3018
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People who object to extravagant pleasures just love money
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Full Idea:
When blamed for buying expensive food he asked "Would you have bought it for just three obols?" When the person said yes, he said,"Then it is not that I am fond of pleasure, but that you are fond of money".
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From:
report of Aristippus the elder (fragments/reports [c.395 BCE]) by Diogenes Laertius - Lives of Eminent Philosophers 02.7.4
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25. Social Practice / D. Justice / 3. Punishment / b. Retribution for crime
1755
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Errors result from external influence, and should be corrected, not hated
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Full Idea:
Errors ought to meet with pardon, for a man does not err intentionally, but influenced by some external circumstances. We should not hate someone who has erred, but teach him better.
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From:
report of Aristippus the elder (fragments/reports [c.395 BCE]) by Diogenes Laertius - Lives of Eminent Philosophers 02.Ar.9
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