Ataraxia Argument Essay

I agree with Athenian philosopher, Epicurus’ ethical philosophy that ataraxia is the highest good for a human being and that aponia aids in ataraxia due to one’s mind and body coexisting within a single faction in order for one to function properly at their highest regard. It is often impossible and undesirable for someone to be at their highest good in such mental capacity but be at their lowest capacity via their physical just as it’s undesirable for the opposite to happen. When a human being is at their highest good then they are fully and completely satisfied in all degrees and purposes within their lives thus creating an exuberant and consistent happiness and/or an all around calmness and peaceful state of mind. In a like comparison,

They routinely drink water and their health is impeccable and nearly perfect but they are mentally distraught due to them always having mean thoughts about other people. Their bodies are well and are finely tuned but their minds are lagging behind. In such a scenario, one’s mental capacity is being destroyed because the only focus is upon their physical existence. Another philosopher that believed in ataraxia was none other than the philosopher, Zeno of Citium. Zeno of Citium’s ideological basis about ataraxia was based more upon virtue as stated in Stoicism by John Sellars in which Sellars described Zeno of Citium’s and other Stoic’s notion as, they (the Stoics) claimed that virtue alone is sufficient for happiness and external goods and circumstances are nowhere near as important as many people tend to assume (pg. 3) Just to briefly compare, Epicurus’ ataraxia and aponia to Zeno of Citium’s ataraxia and apatheia (Sellars) which I would describe as ridding oneself of toxic passions such as smoking, eating unhealthy foods, etc. and how one could use such an argument against my point of Epicurus. An opposing viewer could possibly mention that with the existence of apatheia, it would be merely unfathomable to reach the highest good for a human