History Golden mean (philosophy)

1 history

1.1 western philosophy

1.1.1 crete
1.1.2 delphi
1.1.3 pythagoreans
1.1.4 cleobulus
1.1.5 socrates
1.1.6 plato
1.1.7 aristotle


1.2 eastern philosophy
1.3 judaism
1.4 christianity
1.5 islam
1.6 modernity

history
western philosophy
crete

the earliest representation of idea in culture in mythological cretan tale of daedalus , icarus. daedalus, famous artist of time, built feathered wings himself , son might escape clutches of king minos. daedalus warns beloved son whom loved fly middle course , between sea spray , sun s heat. icarus did not heed father; flew , until sun melted wax off wings. not heeding middle course, fell sea , drowned.

delphi

another elaboration doric saying carved on front of temple @ delphi: nothing in excess ( meden agan ).

pythagoreans

the first work on golden mean attributed theano, wife of pythagoras.

cleobulus

to cleobulus attributed maxim: mέτρον ἄριστον moderation best [1]

socrates

socrates teaches man must know how choose mean , avoid extremes on either side, far possible.

in education, socrates asks consider effect of either exclusive devotion gymnastics or exclusive devotion music. either produced temper of hardness , ferocity, (or) other of softness , effeminacy. having both qualities, believed, produces harmony; i.e., beauty , goodness. additionally stresses importance of mathematics in education understanding of beauty , truth.

plato

proportion s relation beauty , goodness stressed throughout plato s dialogues, particularly in republic , philebus. writes:

socrates: kind of mixture not in way or other possess measure of nature of proportion corrupt ingredients , of itself. there no blending in such case @ unconnected medley, ruin of whatever happens contained in it.



protarchus: true.



socrates: notice force of has taken refuge in alliance nature of beautiful. measure , proportion manifest in areas of beauty , virtue.



protarchus: undeniably.



socrates: said truth inclined along them in our mixture?



protarchus: indeed.



socrates: well, then, if cannot capture in 1 form, have take hold of in conjunction of three: beauty, proportion , truth. let affirm these should right treated unity , held responsible in mixture, goodness makes mixture in itself.

(phlb. 64d–65a)

in laws, plato applies principle electing government in ideal state: conducted in way, election strike mean between monarchy , democracy …

aristotle

in eudemian ethics, aristotle writes on virtues. aristotle’s theory on virtue ethics 1 not see person’s actions reflection of ethics rather looks character of person reason behind ethics. constant phrase is, … middle state between … . psychology of soul , virtues based on golden mean between extremes. in politics, aristotle criticizes spartan polity critiquing disproportionate elements of constitution; e.g., trained men , not women, , trained war not peace. disharmony produced difficulties elaborates on in work. see discussion in nicomachean ethics of golden mean, , aristotelian ethics in general.

eastern philosophy

gautama buddha (fl. 6th century bc) taught of middle way, path between extremes of religious asceticism , worldly self-indulgence.

confucius in analects, written through warring states period of ancient china (c. 479 bc – 221 bc), taught excess similar deficiency. way of living in mean way of zhongyong.

zhuangzi tao s famous commentator (369–286 bc).

tiruvalluvar (2nd century bc , 8th century ad; date disputed) in tirukkural of sangam period of tamizhagam writes of middle state preserve equity. emphasises principle , suggests 2 ways of preserving equity impartial , avoid excess. parimelazhagar historical commentator of tirukkural.

judaism

rambam in mishneh torah attributes method first scholars (chazal), , abraham. indeed, similar concept exists in rabbinic literature, tosefta , yerushalmi. yitzhak arama finds references in bible.

ahead of times rambam, 1133-1204 ad (probably due plato s , aristotle’s engagement ethics), determined person has take care of soul body, , person sick in body turns doctor, person has mental illness needs go doctor of soul, is, according him, philosopher or sage. rambam opposed deterministic approach, arguing person has free , ability change properties.

christianity

thomas aquinas, catholic philosopher, in summa theologica, question 64 of prima secundæ partis, argues christian morality consistent mean. observes: evil consists in discordance rule or measure. may happen either exceeding measure or falling short of it;...therefore evident moral virtue observes mean.

islam

islam promotes golden mean in many instances. quran states example in finance, in person should not spend makes not caught needing, , not stingy not live comfortable life. muhammad had saying خير الأمور أوسطها meaning best choice middle ground/golden mean one. in quran (chapter cow , verse number 143) said that, have made balanced, moderate nation .

quran quotes example of 2 groups of people, calling 1 of them extremely greedy (chasing wealth of world) in chapter cow verse 96 , others inventors of monasticism (over-zealousness in religion) in chapter al-hadeed verse number 27. islam councils followers abstain both these paths of extremities , adopt moderation in chasing world , practicing religion alike.

not least quran emphasises muslim community ( umma) ’middle nation’ / community / umma justly balanced / moderate nation / midmost nation (ummatan wasatan) in verse 2-143: middle between extremism , sloppiness.

modernity

jacques maritain, throughout introduction philosophy (1930), uses idea of golden mean place aristotelian-thomist philosophy between deficiencies , extremes of other philosophers , systems.