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2 ideas
13317 | Philosophy aims at happiness [Seneca] |
Full Idea: Philosophy takes as her aim the state of happiness. | |
From: Seneca the Younger (Letters from a Stoic [c.60], 090) | |
A reaction: A startlingly forthright view. It seems to neglect what I take to be the main aim of philosophy, which is to achieve understanding. I presume true happiness would follow from that. Seneca must now explain why soporific pleasure is wrong. |
13293 | What philosophy offers humanity is guidance [Seneca] |
Full Idea: Shall I tell you what philosophy holds out for humanity? Counsel. | |
From: Seneca the Younger (Letters from a Stoic [c.60], 048) | |
A reaction: See Quine for a flat modern denial of this claim (Idea 9764). There is a modern tendency to see ethics and political thought operating at a meta- or metameta- level. I take the main ethical theories to be very illuminating of real life. |