The Asceticism of the Phaedo: Pleasure, Purification, and the Soul’s Proper Activity

I argue that according to Socrates in the Phaedo we should not merely evaluate bodily pleasures and desires as worthless or bad, but actively avoid them. We need to avoid them because they change our values and make us believe falsehoods. This change in values and acceptance of falsehoods undermines...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor: Ebrey, David, 1978-
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2017
País:España
Institución:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
Repositorio:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
OAI Identifier:oai:recercat.cat:2445/206601
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/206601
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Ascetisme
Asceticism
Plató, 428 aC o 427 aC-348 aC o 347 aC. Fedó
Descripción
Sumario:I argue that according to Socrates in the Phaedo we should not merely evaluate bodily pleasures and desires as worthless or bad, but actively avoid them. We need to avoid them because they change our values and make us believe falsehoods. This change in values and acceptance of falsehoods undermines the soul's proper activity, making virtue and happiness impossible for us. I situate this account of why we should avoid bodily pleasures within Plato's project in the Phaedo of providing Pythagorean and Orphic ideas with clearer meanings and better justifications.