Abstract
Anton argues that, for the Classical philosophers, the quality and meaning of old age supervenes on the wisdom and moral character of the individual. Any apparent disagreements between these philosophers can be traced back to differences in metaphysical, epistemological, and moral doctrines. For instance, Plato suggests that old age is freedom from youthful earthly desires that only distract humans from truth, knowledge, and the good life. While Aristotle’s view is ostensibly negative, his moral psychology allows that the virtuous elder has much to enjoy. Given the self-perpetuating nature of virtue, one who acquires it prior to old age should endure hardships gracefully and enjoy contemplation immensely as an elder. Cicero, Seneca, and Plutarch all agree that the types of activities appropriate to old age are superior to alternative actions.
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Notes
- 1.
This chapter eschews discussions of cultural perspectives of this time period, as those views are many and varied. The philosophical opinions of prominent thinkers, I shall argue, have interesting commonalities. For discussions on standard impressions of old age in the Classical Western world, see: Parkin (2005), Beauvoir (1996), and Harlow and Laurence (2001).
- 2.
- 3.
All citations referring to works by Plato come from Plato: Complete Works. John Cooper ed. Indianapolis: Hackett, 1997.
- 4.
Cf Apology 24c where Socrates accuses Meletus of not caring enough about society and young people to have bothered to investigate how children are raised well or corrupted.
- 5.
It is widely believed that Plato wrote in dialogues on account of conversations’ ability to facilitate philosophical inquiry.
- 6.
Plutarch (1936) also mentions Sophocles’ statement on p. 107/788e–f.
- 7.
Cf. Nicomachean Ethics (EN): 1121b 14–17; 1155a 14; 1156a 23–26; 1157b 13–16, where Aristotle claims that old people make terrible friends, have difficulty making friends, and have superficial friendships of utility. Also, see On Memory and Reminiscence, 450b 7–8 and 453b 6–8 for comments on the cognitive decline of old age. Citations for Aristotle come from The Complete Works of Aristotle: the Revised Oxford Translation, edited by Jonathan Barnes. Vol.’s 1–2. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1984.
- 8.
It is tempting to attribute Aristotle’s views to his own relative youth (and ignorance), but this would be a mistake. The dating of Aristotle’s works is contentious; however, there is wide consensus that Rhetoric was probably written over two periods in his life when he was in Athens, the second of which occurred while he was head of his own school, the Lyceum. That would mean that, at the time that he completed this work, Aristotle was somewhere between 49 and 62 years old. For this reason, I am skeptical of the suggestion that Aristotle’s views might have changed when he began to experience old age for himself. If his views had softened, he could have edited these discussions to reflect that.
- 9.
- 10.
Happiness is the activity of the soul in accordance with virtue, and that activity requires certain minimal external goods and fortunes. For example, no one can practice generosity without material goods to give away.
- 11.
Cicero citations come from “Cato the Elder: On Old Age,” In number 154 of the Loeb Classical Library, 8–99. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1923.
- 12.
For an interesting discussion of the parallels between this part of Cicero’s work and Plato’s Republic, see Stull (2013).
- 13.
All citations from Seneca’s texts come from Seneca, The Stoic Philosophy of Seneca: Essays and Letters, translated by Moses Hadas (1958). New York: W. W. Norton & Company.
- 14.
Cf Xenophon 1923, 5–8, pp. 644–645, where Xenophon reports that the daimonion did interrupt Socrates whenever he tried to prepare a defense, so he stopped.
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Anton, A.L. (2016). Aging in Classical Philosophy. In: Scarre, G. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of the Philosophy of Aging. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-39356-2_8
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