Free The Wisdom of Hypatia: Ancient Spiritual Practices for a More Meaningful Life by Bruce J. MacLennan Page B
Authors: Bruce J. MacLennan
Both are a result of the way the soul atoms are bouncing around with the body atoms and interacting with the atoms of things outside the body. The jostling
of the soul atoms is the source of the pleasure and pain. In this sense these pleasures and pains are real and true ; you cannot be mistaken about the fact that you are feeling pleasure or feeling pain. Therefore pleasure and pain provide a secure basis for choice and avoidance, but it must be subjected to judgment in order to act wisely.”
“Teacher, how can we make such choices?” asks Mys, a female slave and one of
Epicurus’ best students.
“As a basis for judgment, here is a useful way to classify your desires. First, some desires are natural , that is, a function of our biological natures, including normal human psychology, whereas other desires are non-natural in the sense that they do not follow from our biological nature. Of course, the term “non-natural” does not imply that these desires are in some way deviant or perverted! Of the natural desires, some are necessary , others are not. Of the necessary natural desires, some are necessary for life, such as the desire for food; some are necessary to remove bodily stress, such as the desire for rest when we are tired; some are necessary for happiness, such as freedom from
anxiety and fear. That is, these desires are necessary either for survival or to remove bodily pain and mental discomfort.
“Why is it important to make this distinction?” asks Mys.
“The crucial point is that necessary natural desires are self-limiting, for the pleasure is maximized when the corresponding pain or discomfort is eliminated. For example,
if you are thirsty and desire drink, when you have had enough, you will not be thirsty seeking tranquility in the garden 49
anymore. The pleasure is maximal because you cannot have less thirst than no thirst.
So also with hunger. In all these cases, if you desire more than is necessary to satisfy the need, then this excess desire is still natural, but it is not necessary.”
“Yes,” Timocrates interrupts, belching, “but as the old saying goes, ‘The stomach is insatiable.’”
“And I bid you remember,” Epicurus replies, pointing at Timocrates:
The stomach is not insatiable, as most people say;
instead the opinion that the stomach needs unlimited filling is false.33
“Nevertheless, my brother has a point,” says Metrodorus, “for people go to great
trouble and expense to stuff themselves with delicacies.”
Epicurus nods. “The desire for gourmet food or drink is an example of a unnec-
essary but natural desire, since it is merely unnecessary variation of a natural desire.
Unnecessary desires are not self-limiting because they are not removing a bodily pain or mental discomfort, and so you run the risk of over-indulgence, for they can exceed what is sufficient and have the potential to cause pain. So if you eat too much or too rich food, you may get indigestion, and if you drink too much, a hangover. Less obviously, you have to work harder to earn the money to buy expensive food. Remember:
Nothing is enough to one for whom enough is very little.34
“I am not saying that you should avoid all unnecessary pleasures, for all pleasures
have an inherent goodness—that is the teaching of the Garden—but they should be
enjoyed in moderation. The sage weighs the likely pleasures and pains and makes a
prudent choice.”
“In other words,” Leontion remarks, “we should remember the sacred Delphic Max-
im, which is inscribed on the temple of Apollo at Delphi:
Nothing too much! 35
“Indeed,” Epicurus nods. “Now the non-natural desires are those that are not essen-
tial to our human nature. For example, the desires for wealth, power, and fame. These are matters of opinion, not facts of our biological nature. Certainly, all pleasures are good, but some pleasures bring greater pain in their pursuit or in their wake—especially those pleasures born of
of the soul atoms is the source of the pleasure and pain. In this sense these pleasures and pains are real and true ; you cannot be mistaken about the fact that you are feeling pleasure or feeling pain. Therefore pleasure and pain provide a secure basis for choice and avoidance, but it must be subjected to judgment in order to act wisely.”
“Teacher, how can we make such choices?” asks Mys, a female slave and one of
Epicurus’ best students.
“As a basis for judgment, here is a useful way to classify your desires. First, some desires are natural , that is, a function of our biological natures, including normal human psychology, whereas other desires are non-natural in the sense that they do not follow from our biological nature. Of course, the term “non-natural” does not imply that these desires are in some way deviant or perverted! Of the natural desires, some are necessary , others are not. Of the necessary natural desires, some are necessary for life, such as the desire for food; some are necessary to remove bodily stress, such as the desire for rest when we are tired; some are necessary for happiness, such as freedom from
anxiety and fear. That is, these desires are necessary either for survival or to remove bodily pain and mental discomfort.
“Why is it important to make this distinction?” asks Mys.
“The crucial point is that necessary natural desires are self-limiting, for the pleasure is maximized when the corresponding pain or discomfort is eliminated. For example,
if you are thirsty and desire drink, when you have had enough, you will not be thirsty seeking tranquility in the garden 49
anymore. The pleasure is maximal because you cannot have less thirst than no thirst.
So also with hunger. In all these cases, if you desire more than is necessary to satisfy the need, then this excess desire is still natural, but it is not necessary.”
“Yes,” Timocrates interrupts, belching, “but as the old saying goes, ‘The stomach is insatiable.’”
“And I bid you remember,” Epicurus replies, pointing at Timocrates:
The stomach is not insatiable, as most people say;
instead the opinion that the stomach needs unlimited filling is false.33
“Nevertheless, my brother has a point,” says Metrodorus, “for people go to great
trouble and expense to stuff themselves with delicacies.”
Epicurus nods. “The desire for gourmet food or drink is an example of a unnec-
essary but natural desire, since it is merely unnecessary variation of a natural desire.
Unnecessary desires are not self-limiting because they are not removing a bodily pain or mental discomfort, and so you run the risk of over-indulgence, for they can exceed what is sufficient and have the potential to cause pain. So if you eat too much or too rich food, you may get indigestion, and if you drink too much, a hangover. Less obviously, you have to work harder to earn the money to buy expensive food. Remember:
Nothing is enough to one for whom enough is very little.34
“I am not saying that you should avoid all unnecessary pleasures, for all pleasures
have an inherent goodness—that is the teaching of the Garden—but they should be
enjoyed in moderation. The sage weighs the likely pleasures and pains and makes a
prudent choice.”
“In other words,” Leontion remarks, “we should remember the sacred Delphic Max-
im, which is inscribed on the temple of Apollo at Delphi:
Nothing too much! 35
“Indeed,” Epicurus nods. “Now the non-natural desires are those that are not essen-
tial to our human nature. For example, the desires for wealth, power, and fame. These are matters of opinion, not facts of our biological nature. Certainly, all pleasures are good, but some pleasures bring greater pain in their pursuit or in their wake—especially those pleasures born of
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