The Philosophy Book

66

See also: Socrates 46–49 ■ Plato 50–55 ■ Zeno of Citium 67 ■

St. Augustine of Hippo 72–73 ■ Friedrich Nietzsche 214–21

P

lato once described

Diogenes as “a Socrates

gone mad.” Although this

was meant as an insult, it is not

far from the truth. Diogenes shares

Socrates’ passion for virtue and

rejection of material comfort, but

takes these ideas to the extreme.

He argues that in order to lead a

good life, or one that is worth living,

it is necessary to free oneself from

the external restrictions imposed

by society, and from the internal

discontentment that is caused

by desire, emotion, and fear. This

can be achieved, he states, by

being content to live a simple life,

governed by reason and natural

impulses, rejecting conventions

without shame, and renouncing

the desire for property and comfort.

Diogenes was the first of a group

of thinkers who became known as

the Cynics, a term taken from the

Greek kunikos, meaning “dog-like.”

It reflects the determination of the

Cynics to spurn all forms of social

custom and etiquette, and instead

live in as natural a state as possible.

They asserted that the more one

can do this, as Diogenes himself

did by living a life of poverty with

only an abandoned tub for shelter,

the nearer one will be to leading

the ideal life.

The happiest person, who in

Diogenes’ phrase, “has the most”,

is therefore someone who lives

in accordance with the rhythms

of the natural world, free from

the conventions and values of

civilized society, and “content

with the least.” ■

IN CONTEXT

BRANCH

Ethics

APPROACH

Cynicism

BEFORE

Late 5th century BCE

Socrates teaches that the

ideal life is one spent in

search of truth.

Early 4th century BCE

Socrates’ pupil Antisthenes

advocates an ascetic life, lived

in harmony with nature.

AFTER

c.301 BCE Influenced by

Diogenes, Zeno of Citium

founds a school of Stoics.

4th century CE St. Augustine

of Hippo denounces the often

shameless behavior of the

Cynics, although they become

the model for several ascetic

Christian orders.

1882 Friedrich Nietzsche

refers to Diogenes and his

ideas in The Gay Science.

HE HAS THE MOST

WHO IS MOST

CONTENT WITH

THE LEAST

DIOGENES OF SINOPE (C.404–323 BCE)

Rejecting worldly values, Diogenes

chose to live on the streets. He flouted

convention, by eating only discarded

scraps and dressing—when he actually

bothered to do so—in filthy rags.