Combining Texts

Ideas for 'Folk Psychology', 'fragments/reports' and 'The Prince'

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5 ideas

23. Ethics / B. Contract Ethics / 1. Contractarianism
1845 Justice has no independent existence, but arises entirely from keeping contracts [Epicurus]
     Full Idea: Justice has no independent existence; it results from mutual contracts, and establishes itself wherever there is a mutual engagement to guard against doing or sustaining mutual injury.
     From: Epicurus (fragments/reports [c.289 BCE]), quoted by Diogenes Laertius - Lives of Eminent Philosophers 10.31.35
23. Ethics / B. Contract Ethics / 3. Promise Keeping
7127 If men are good you should keep promises, but they aren't, so you needn't [Machiavelli]
     Full Idea: If all men were good, promising-breaking would not be good, but because they are bad and do not keep their promises to you, you likewise do not have to keep yours to them.
     From: Niccolo Machiavelli (The Prince [1513], Ch.18)
     A reaction: A rather depressing proposal to get your promise-breaking in first, based on the pessimistic view that people cannot be improved. The subsequent history of ethics in Europe showed Machiavelli to be wrong. Gentlemen began to keep their word.
23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 2. Elements of Virtue Theory / c. Motivation for virtue
1841 We choose virtue because of pleasure, not for its own sake [Epicurus, by Diog. Laertius]
     Full Idea: We choose the virtues for the sake of pleasure, and not on their own account.
     From: report of Epicurus (fragments/reports [c.289 BCE]) by Diogenes Laertius - Lives of Eminent Philosophers 10.30
23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 4. External Goods / a. External goods
1829 A wise man would be happy even under torture [Epicurus, by Diog. Laertius]
     Full Idea: Even if the wise man were put to the torture, he would still be happy.
     From: report of Epicurus (fragments/reports [c.289 BCE]) by Diogenes Laertius - Lives of Eminent Philosophers 10.26
23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 4. External Goods / d. Friendship
1843 Friendship is by far the most important ingredient of a complete and happy life [Epicurus]
     Full Idea: Of all the things which wisdom provides for the happiness of the whole life, by far the most important is the acquisition of friendship.
     From: Epicurus (fragments/reports [c.289 BCE]), quoted by Diogenes Laertius - Lives of Eminent Philosophers 10.31.28