Epicureanism

2021 ◽  
pp. 115-140
Author(s):  
Christopher W. Gowans
Keyword(s):  
Human Nature ◽  
Mental Distress ◽  
Moral Virtue ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Fear Of Death ◽  
Philosophical Foundation ◽  
Physical Pain ◽  
Ideal State ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Ideal

The chapter argues that ancient Epicureanism (mainly Epicurus, Lucretius, and Philodemus) is plausibly interpreted as a self-cultivation philosophy. The existential starting point is a life of irrational fears and frustrated desires. The ideal state of well-being is a life of pleasure, understood primarily as the absence of physical pain and mental distress (more tranquilism than hedonism). This ideal life is free of fear of death and the gods, and it is devoted to friendship, moral virtue, and the pursuit of desires only if they are natural and necessary. The philosophical foundation is a materialist, atomistic theory of nature and human nature that entails that death is nothing to fear, the gods are unconcerned with us, and only natural and necessary desires are important. We achieve this ideal through spiritual exercises that involve learning Epicurean philosophy, modifying desires, and cultivating virtue in a community of like-minded people.

Pyrrho and Pyrrhonism

2021 ◽  
pp. 167-194
Author(s):  
Christopher W. Gowans
Keyword(s):  
Human Nature ◽  
Specific Nature ◽  
Sextus Empiricus ◽  
Ideal State ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Emotionally Troubled ◽  
The World ◽  
Pyrrhonian Skepticism ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Ideal

The chapter argues that Pyrrho and ancient Pyrrhonian skepticism (specifically, Sextus Empiricus) are plausibly interpreted as accepting a self-cultivation philosophy, though in somewhat different senses and with some qualification. For both, the existential starting point is an emotionally troubled life rooted in beliefs about the world, and the ideal state of being is a life of tranquility without these beliefs and guided by appearances. It is difficult to say what spiritual exercises Pyrrho thought were needed to achieve the ideal state: perhaps learning his philosophy and habituating ourselves to follow it. However, for Sextus, employment of skeptical arguments was the primary exercise. Since neither Pyrrho nor Sextus supposed we could make assertions about the specific nature of things, neither had a philosophy of human nature in a straightforward sense. Nonetheless, presentations of their outlooks betray some perspective on this (e.g., about the relationship between absence of belief and tranquility).

Indian Buddhism

2021 ◽  
pp. 82-110
Author(s):  
Christopher W. Gowans
Keyword(s):  
Human Nature ◽  
Spiritual Exercises ◽  
Intrinsic Nature ◽  
Ideal State ◽  
Indian Buddhism ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Buddha ◽  
The Ideal

The chapter argues that the teaching of the Buddha, Buddhaghosa’s Visuddhimagga, and Śāntideva’s Bodhicaryāvatāra are each plausibly interpreted as self-cultivation philosophies. For each, the existential starting point is that we are caught in a cycle of rebirth permeated by suffering caused by craving, something rooted in the delusion that we are selves or have an intrinsic nature. The ideal state of being is centrally the awareness that we are not selves or are empty of an intrinsic nature. This awareness—nirvana—is a state of peace and compassion that ends the cycle of rebirth. The transformation from suffering to nirvana is achieved through intellectual, ethical, and meditative disciplines, the spiritual exercises, namely the Eightfold Path or the Six Perfections. Though Buddhism denies that there is a self, this denial is connected to an understanding of human nature as consisting of five kinds of “aggregates” and having the capacity for enlightenment.

Tusculan Disputations 111 & IV

1989 ◽  
pp. 76-78
Author(s):  
A. E. Douglas
Keyword(s):  
Mental Distress ◽  
Emotional Problems ◽  
Fear Of Death ◽  
Physical Pain

This chapter provides a summary of Book III and IV of Cicero's Tusculans. It discusses how the two books deal with the question of whether the wise man (sapiens) is subject to mental distress or strong or excessive emotions. It also explains the stoic view of the wise man, to which Cicero adheres throughout, that suggests that he is virtually self-refuting. The chapter addresses questions on the isolation of mental and emotional problems, which Cicero regarded as less important than the conquest of the fear of death and the endurance of physical pain. It looks at the Roman attitude to Greek openness about homosexuality that compelled Cicero to agree with Epicurus.

What Are Self-Cultivation Philosophies?

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-26
Author(s):  
Christopher W. Gowans
Keyword(s):  
Reflective Practice ◽  
Human Nature ◽  
Virtue Epistemology ◽  
Philosophical Analysis ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Cognitive Capacities ◽  
Ideal State ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Part Structure ◽  
Life Philosophy

The chapter defines the concept of a self-cultivation philosophy. This proposes that human beings can and should move from a troubled state of existence to some ideal state of being via spiritual exercises guided by some philosophical analysis. Philosophy is defined as a reflective practice that seeks understanding of fundamental assumptions in our life. Philosophy may be a practical discipline or a theoretical one, and it may be based on whatever cognitive capacities human beings possess, including reason and awareness. This claim is defended by reference to virtue epistemology. Self-cultivation philosophy has a four-part structure: an account of human nature, an existential starting point, an ideal state of being, and a transformation program. The transformation program consists of exercises which have four functions: Cognition, Purification, Doctrine, and Habituation. Self-cultivation philosophies are often expressed in transformational texts intended to guide people in how to live their lives according to the philosophy

Hakluyt’s Peripatetic Discourse

2017 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 140-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Imes
Keyword(s):  
Philosophical Foundation ◽  
Ideal State ◽  
Socioeconomic Issues ◽  
The Ideal ◽  
Richard Hakluyt

In this article, I examine intellectual correspondences between two manuscripts that Richard Hakluyt (1552–1616) presented to Queen Elizabeth i in tandem in 1584: his well-known “Discourse of Western Planting” and his underappreciated “Analysis” of Aristotle’s Politics. I argue that Aristotle’s vision of the ideal political state as a materially and morally self-sustaining system, as represented in the “Analysis,” serves as the philosophical foundation of Hakluyt’s recommendations in the “Discourse” that England pursue an aggressive policy of expansionist, colonial growth. Hakluyt describes colonialism as a panacea for England’s socioeconomic issues and as the means by which England might become self-sustaining in the manner of Aristotle’s ideal state.

Persons Together

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan L. Mittleman
Keyword(s):  
Human Nature ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Image Of God ◽  
Jewish Tradition ◽  
The Political ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Human Flourishing ◽  
Political Dimensions ◽  
Market Relations ◽  
The Image Of God

This chapter moves into the political and economic aspects of human nature. Given scarcity and interdependence, what sense has Judaism made of the material well-being necessary for human flourishing? What are Jewish attitudes toward prosperity, market relations, labor, and leisure? What has Judaism had to say about the political dimensions of human nature? If all humans are made in the image of God, what does that original equality imply for political order, authority, and justice? In what kinds of systems can human beings best flourish? It argues that Jewish tradition shows that we act in conformity with our nature when we elevate, improve, and sanctify it. As co-creators of the world with God, we are not just the sport of our biochemistry. We are persons who can select and choose among the traits that comprise our very own natures, cultivating some and weeding out others.

The Republic

2019 ◽  
pp. 205-229
Author(s):  
Dominic Scott
Keyword(s):  
Political Theory ◽  
Left Behind ◽  
Ideal State ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Individual Justice ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Political Right ◽  
First Time ◽  
The Ideal

This chapter presents a reading of Plato’s Republic. The Republic is among Plato’s most complex works. From its title, the first-time reader will expect a dialogue about political theory, yet the work starts from the perspective of the individual, coming to focus on the question of how, if at all, justice contributes to an agent’s happiness. Only after this question has been fully set out does the work evolve into an investigation of politics—of the ideal state and of the institutions that sustain it, especially those having to do with education. But the interest in individual justice and happiness is never left behind. Rather, the work weaves in and out of the two perspectives, individual and political, right through to its conclusion. All this may leave one wondering about the unity of the work. The chapter shows that, despite the enormous range of topics discussed, the Republic fits together as a coherent whole.

scholarly journals How can electric lighting contribute to human health and well-being?

2021 ◽  
Vol 53 (5) ◽  
pp. 515-522
Author(s):  
P Raynham
Keyword(s):  
Human Health ◽  
Psychological Impact ◽  
Health Benefits ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Electric Light ◽  
Health And Well Being ◽  
Hypothetical Explanation

Electric light in buildings may provide some health benefits; however, for most people these benefits are likely to be small. It is possible for electric lighting to cause health problems, if there is too little light or there is glare, but for the most part there is good guidance available and these problems can be avoided. The quality of the lit environment can have a psychological impact and this may in turn impact well-being. A starting point for this is perceived adequacy of illumination. Related lighting metrics are examined and a hypothetical explanation is suggested.

Formalization as a tool for environmental peacebuilding? Artisanal and small-scale mining in Liberia and Sierra Leone

2021 ◽  
Vol 97 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-55
Author(s):  
Christina Ankenbrand ◽  
Abrina Welter ◽  
Nina Engwicht
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Leone ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Transformative Change ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Community Benefits ◽  
Sustainable Peace ◽  
Underlying Causes ◽  
Ethical Sourcing ◽  
The Ideal

Abstract Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) has long been a vital source of livelihoods for rural populations in the global South. Yet, it has also been linked to a host of social, political and environmental adversities, including violent conflict. As environmental peacebuilding increasingly stresses the importance of livelihood improvement as a means of fostering peace in conflict-affected extractive societies, ASM formalization has been identified as a solution to mitigate the sector's challenges, thereby addressing underlying causes of conflict. This article critically investigates the contribution of ASM formalization to sustainable peace by focusing on its impact on the livelihood dimension of peacebuilding. It analyses the livelihood impact of three formalization interventions in the diamond sectors of two countries: cooperatives in Liberia, and, in Sierra Leone, ethical sourcing schemes and a community-based natural resource management initiative. In line with calls for a paradigm shift from a narrow legalization-centred understanding of formalization to a broader approach that accounts for livelihood quality, the analysis presented here focuses on interventions that were informed by the ideal of improving the well-being of ASM workers and communities. We propose three pathways through which ASM formalization could potentially contribute to livelihood enhancement: income security, working conditions and community benefits. Based on fieldwork, this article highlights the challenges of generating livelihood improvements through formalization. Even when specifically designed to address the needs of ASM communities, during implementation, they risk prioritizing a narrow conceptualization of formalization and thus failing to become a conductor of transformative change.

scholarly journals A journey to a new stable state—further development of the postoperative recovery concept from day surgical perspective: a qualitative study

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. e037755
Author(s):  
Ulrica Nilsson ◽  
Maria Jaensson ◽  
Karin Hugelius ◽  
Erebouni Arakelian ◽  
Karuna Dahlberg
Keyword(s):  
Stable State ◽  
Recovery Process ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Day Surgery ◽  
Physical Symptoms ◽  
Postoperative Recovery ◽  
Four Dimensions ◽  
Adult Participants ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Patients Experience

ObjectiveThis study aims to further develop the concept analysis by Allvin et al in 2007 and Lundmark et al in 2016 from the perspective of day-surgery patients. Also, to describe how patients experience postoperative recovery in relation to the identified dimensions and subdimensions and to interpret the findings in order to get a deeper understanding of the concept postoperative recovery.DesignDescriptive qualitative design with a theoretical thematic analysis.SettingSix day-surgery departments in Sweden.ParticipantsThirty-eight adult participants who had undergone day surgery in Sweden. Participants were purposively selected.ResultsFour dimensions—physical, psychological, social and habitual—were confirmed. A total of eight subdimensions were also confirmed, two from Allvin et al’s study and six from Lundmark et al’s study. Recovery included physical symptoms and challenges coping with and regaining control over symptoms and bodily functions. Both positive and negative emotions were present, and strategies on how to handle emotions and achieve well-being were established. Patients became dependent on others. They coped with and adapted to the recovery process and gradually stabilised, reaching a new stable state.ConclusionPostoperative recovery was described as a process with a clear starting point, and as a dynamic and individual process leading to an experience of a new stable state. The recovery process included physical symptoms, emotions and social and habitual consequences that challenges them. To follow-up and measure all four dimensions of postoperative recovery in order to support and understand the process of postoperative recovery is, therefore, recommended.

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