Socratic Echoes in Aristippus of Cyrene and Gregory Vlastos: Pleasure and Unworldliness

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Published: Mar 25, 2020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12681/ethiki.22745
Keywords:
Aristippus of Cyrene; Gregory Vlastos; Socrates; Hedonism; Unworldliness (Akosmikotita); Self-mastery; Socratic Irony; Moral Autonomy
Sotiris Fournaros
Abstract

This article explores the philosophical links between the ancient Cyrenaic philosopher Aristippus and the contemporary Greek-American scholar Gregory Vlastos, focusing on the concepts of pleasure (hedone) and unworldliness (akosmikotita). The author investigates how both thinkers interpret the Socratic legacy to address the human condition and the pursuit of the "good life." The study argues that Aristippus’s hedonism is not a simple surrender to instincts but a sophisticated form of self-mastery and internal freedom, allowing the individual to remain unswayed by external circumstances. This is paralleled with Vlastos’s analysis of Socratic irony and the "unworldly" nature of Socratic ethics, which prioritizes the soul's integrity over social or political success. Ultimately, the paper presents a synthesis where pleasure and a detached stance toward the world serve as tools for achieving authentic human existence and moral autonomy.

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