Provided it is recognized that pleasures are mental as well as physical and shared as well as individual, hedonism is not a bad philosophy although Buddhism is the Middle Way between hedonism and asceticism. The latter is definitely undesirable. The monks at Throssel Hole (scroll down) watch a film together once a week although some visitors have been scandalized that there is a television in the place.
In certain works of fiction, we vicariously enjoy good food.
7 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I don't think asceticism has to be undesirable if is not taken too far. I think the stricter Catholic monastic orders foregoes watching TV even once a week. And I can't help but think that is good.
Sean
Sean,
It is the "not too far" that counts. The Buddha practiced extreme austerities, then realized that they were a waste of energy.
Paul.
Sean,
Reincarnation was a logical consequence of the idea of the soul as distinct from the body.
Aristotle said that the soul was "the form of the body," not separate from it.
We have had some discussion of Heraclitus, Plato, Hegel and Wittgenstein as well as of Indian philosophy.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
And the Papacy, thru the centuries, has more than once LESSENED the severities of the austerities proposed in the original drafts of the Rules of various religious orders submitted to the popes. The idea was to make sure they did not go too far in the direction of asceticism.
Sean
Kaor, Paul!
I forgot to add to my comment above that I don't believe in reincarnation, that there is no such thing. The Catholic belief is that God creates immediately at conception a new soul for every human being. Souls are not "recycled."
Sean
Sean,
In India, a group more extreme than the Jains died out because they didn't reproduce and starved themselves to death.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
Good heavens, even the Shakers didn't go that far! Even if they renounced marriage and having children, the Shakers at least ATE.
Sean
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