Such a beautiful passage at such a painful time. I see nothing wrong with friendship being “instrumental.” I believe friends know this between themselves without saying; and, actually, appreciate their friendship like a child swaddled by their mother. It is these everlasting memories of joy in friendship that we carry in our little reticules and coin purses, only to take out at such a time to give us joy on our deathbed. Friendship is the tightest pulled bond (actually, biologically speaking, how neurons and synapses work creating memories) that has no ulterior motive when truly friendship. It’s voluntary and of your own volition. And that bond, ironically, is free.
I still am amazed philosophers past touch us to the heart today. ♥️
Mike, I actually agree. I would go one step further: I think the Epicureans were right (and the Stoics wrong) that even virtue is instrumental and not pursued for its own sake. Both friendship and virtue are instrumental to a eudaimonic life, and the reason for that is that we are social animals. But don’t tell my Stoic friends…
Ah, depends on what you mean. Philosophy doesn’t deal with empirical truths, but rather with reasonable / useful accounts. So if you think Epicurus’s account of friendship is reasonable and/or useful, then yeah, he’s right.
My meaning was more limited and personal: just that we--you and me, my friend--know that he's right that friendship is valuable! But yes to that broader take as well.
Such a beautiful passage at such a painful time. I see nothing wrong with friendship being “instrumental.” I believe friends know this between themselves without saying; and, actually, appreciate their friendship like a child swaddled by their mother. It is these everlasting memories of joy in friendship that we carry in our little reticules and coin purses, only to take out at such a time to give us joy on our deathbed. Friendship is the tightest pulled bond (actually, biologically speaking, how neurons and synapses work creating memories) that has no ulterior motive when truly friendship. It’s voluntary and of your own volition. And that bond, ironically, is free.
I still am amazed philosophers past touch us to the heart today. ♥️
Mike, I actually agree. I would go one step further: I think the Epicureans were right (and the Stoics wrong) that even virtue is instrumental and not pursued for its own sake. Both friendship and virtue are instrumental to a eudaimonic life, and the reason for that is that we are social animals. But don’t tell my Stoic friends…
😂👍👍👍😊
And we *know* he's right, don't we?
Ah, depends on what you mean. Philosophy doesn’t deal with empirical truths, but rather with reasonable / useful accounts. So if you think Epicurus’s account of friendship is reasonable and/or useful, then yeah, he’s right.
My meaning was more limited and personal: just that we--you and me, my friend--know that he's right that friendship is valuable! But yes to that broader take as well.
Ah, yes, indeed, I’m in complete agreement!