Full Idea
When Anaxagoras was asked what it was for which a person would choose to be born rather than not, he said it would be to apprehend the heavens and the order in the whole universe.
Gist of Idea
Anaxagoras said a person would choose to be born to contemplate the ordered heavens
Source
Anaxagoras (fragments/reports [c.460 BCE], 1216), quoted by Aristotle - Eudemian Ethics 8 'Finality'
Book Reference
Korsgaard,Christine M.: 'Creating the Kingdom of Ends' [CUP 1996], p.232
A Reaction
[Anaxagoras, quoted by Aristotle, quoted by Korsgaard, quoted by me, and then quoted by you, perhaps]
Related Idea
Idea 18239 What is contemplated must have a higher value than contemplation [Kant, by Korsgaard]