Ideas from 'On the Happy Life' by Seneca the Younger [60], by Theme Structure

[found in 'Dialogues and Essays' by Seneca (ed/tr Davie,John) [Penguin 2007,978-0-19-280714-4]].

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1. Philosophy / A. Wisdom / 2. Wise People

13560

A wise man is not subservient to anything

			Full Idea: I do not call any man wise who is subservient to anything.
			From: Seneca the Younger (On the Happy Life [c.60], §11)
			A reaction: At the very least, a wise man should be subservient to a wiser man.

22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 2. Source of Ethics / a. Idealistic ethics

13558

The supreme good is harmony of spirit

			Full Idea: The highest good is harmony of spirit.
			From: Seneca the Younger (On the Happy Life [c.60], §08)
			A reaction: This idea is straight from Plato's Republic.

23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 2. Elements of Virtue Theory / c. Motivation for virtue

13559

I seek virtue, because it is its own reward

			Full Idea: You ask what I seek from virtue? Virtue herself. For she has nothing better, she is herself her own reward.
			From: Seneca the Younger (On the Happy Life [c.60], §09)
			A reaction: Presumably this is the source of the popular saying that 'virtue is its own reward'. The trouble is that this doesn't seem a very persuasive thing to say to a sceptic who doubts whether being virtuous is worth the trouble.

23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 2. Elements of Virtue Theory / j. Unity of virtue

13561

Virtue is always moderate, so excess need not be feared

			Full Idea: In the case of virtue excess should not be feared, since in virtue resides moderation.
			From: Seneca the Younger (On the Happy Life [c.60], §13)
			A reaction: This seems to imply that all of the virtues are unified in the one achievement of the virtuous state. It leaves the notion of 'virtue' a bit thin in content, though.

23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 3. Virtues / a. Virtues

13562

It is shameful to not even recognise your own slaves

			Full Idea: Why, to your shame, are you so careless that you do not know your handful of slaves by sight?
			From: Seneca the Younger (On the Happy Life [c.60], §17)

23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 4. External Goods / c. Wealth

13565

If wealth was a good, it would make men good

			Full Idea: Wealth is not a good; for it it was, it would make men good.
			From: Seneca the Younger (On the Happy Life [c.60], §24)
			A reaction: An immediately attractive argument, but should we assume that anything which is good will enhance our personal goodness? If goodness is a habit, then continual pursuit of wealth is the test case to examine. Seneca is right!

13564

There is far more scope for virtue if you are wealthy; poverty only allows endurance

			Full Idea: What doubt can there be that the wise man has greater scope for displaying his powers if he is rich than if he is poor, since in the case of poverty only one kind of virtue exists - refusal to be bowed down and crushed.
			From: Seneca the Younger (On the Happy Life [c.60], §22)
			A reaction: It is against this view that I see Jesus proposing poverty as central to virtue. But then he has the surprising view (to Seneca) that humility is a virtue. What Nietzsche calls the slaves' inversion of values.

13563

Why does your wife wear in her ears the income of a wealthy house?

			Full Idea: Why does your wife wear in her ears the income of a wealthy house?
			From: Seneca the Younger (On the Happy Life [c.60], §17)

24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 5. Democracy / f. Against democracy

13557

Unfortunately the majority do not tend to favour what is best

			Full Idea: Human concerns are not so happily arranged that the majority favours the better things.
			From: Seneca the Younger (On the Happy Life [c.60], §02)
			A reaction: On the whole Seneca is unimpressed by democracy, as people are rushed into decisions by the crowd, and live to regret them.