University of St. Gallen School of Economics, Law and Social Sciences Classical philosophers and the Judeo-christian tradition call for moderation in consumption. Compare and contrast the arguments. Samuel Abächerli Waidackerstrasse 9. 8592 Uttwil +41 (0)79 889 73 70 samuel.abaecherli@student.unisg.ch 14-610-208 Critical Thinking: History Florian Shui 10 December 2014 Abstract Aristotle and Jesus’ teachings have had a huge influence on the modern perception of moral rights and wrongs. The western modern society does no longer frown upon a lavish lifestyle, it rather looks up to people living it and gets inspired by them to achieve success. However, this has not always been the case throughout history. Aristotle and Jesus, two of …show more content…
In the “Nicomachean Ethics” Aristotle first talks about temperance and starts off with making the distinction between bodily pleasures and those of the soul, such as the love of honour or the love of learning, for these have no effect on the body, but solely the mind. People who strive excessively in the love of learning or honour were not called temperate or self-indulgent to Aristotle’s time. Subsequently he concluded that self-indulgence and temperance must be concerned with bodily pleasures. According to him, one can delight himself through the five human senses, through vision, odour, sound, taste or touch. But then again, one was not called self-indulgent if he is delighted by looking at a painting or by shapes and colors and the same holds true for listening extravagantly to music or smelling the pleasing odour of flowers. Which leaves us with touch and taste, however, he also excluded taste, for people can create taste, such as flavouring food, without feeling pleased. Touch as the last remaining sense is said to be the cause for all enjoyment, be it that of food, that of drink or that of sexual intercourse. After having determined the cause of pleasure, Aristotle talks about appetite. Again, he makes a distinction, this time between natural …show more content…
One could though argue that saving treasures for the heaven equals to saving immaterial goods, then they cannot be stolen by thieves or rot with time, such as knowledge or love. Although the wording sounds paradox, it does make sense. When saving material goods on earth, which Jesus repudiates, the person hordes or stashes good without consuming them. However, applying the principle of saving to immaterials goods, saving and consuming, which are logically antonyms for material goods, become synonyms. In order to become more intelligent and therefore save knowledge, one has to consume knowledge. Other than the material goods, immaterial goods do not diminish through excessive consumption or become scarce and unavailable to other people when