伊壁鸠鲁式友谊与正义 (4) —— 宁静的支柱

欢迎回到我们的伊壁鸠鲁主义探索之旅！我们已经揭开了伊壁鸠鲁哲学的一些核心秘密：他关于真正快乐的定义（身体无痛、心灵宁静）、管理欲望的重要性以及如何战胜对死亡的恐惧。今天，我们将把目光转向两个看似“外部”的元素，但在伊壁鸠鲁思想中却对个人幸福至关重要的社会基石：友谊与正义。

在许多哲学体系中，友谊和正义本身可能被视为内在的善或道德律令。然而，伊壁鸠鲁以其务实的视角看待它们——它们是达到我们最终目标，即心绪宁静（ataraxia）和身体无痛（aponia）的强大而必要的工具。

友谊：幸福生活的最高手段

在伊壁鸠鲁的“花园”中，友谊被提升到无与伦比的高度。它不仅仅是生活中的美好点缀，而是实现幸福的核心要素。

名言：“在所有智慧所提供的，用以获得完整幸福的东西中，友谊是其中最重要的。”

为什么友谊如此重要？

• 带来安全与保障： 朋友提供庇护、支持和保护，消除对孤立和危险的恐惧。在一个不确定的世界里，知道有人会支持你，能带来巨大的内心平静。
  
  名言：“朋友的帮助与其说是帮助本身，不如说是他们会提供帮助的确信。”
  这种信任感本身就是一种强大的心绪宁静剂。
  
  

• 共享的快乐与减少痛苦： 朋友可以分享简单的快乐，分担烦恼。与所爱之人共度时光本身就是一种愉悦。

• 信任与忠诚： 深厚的友谊建立在相互信任的基础上，这种信任消除了一部分人际交往中的焦虑和疑虑。

• 社区的基石： “花园”的成功本身就是伊壁鸠鲁对友谊重要性的最好证明。它是一个由志同道合的朋友组成的社群，共同追求智慧和幸福。

对伊壁鸠鲁而言，友谊虽然最终是为了个体的利益（心绪宁静），但它要求真正的付出和相互关怀。这种利他行为最终会以更大的平静和幸福回报自身。

正义：为了避免痛苦的约定

与友谊不同，伊壁鸠鲁将正义视为一种实用性的约定，而非某种神圣的、绝对的法则。

名言：“正义是效用的约定，旨在防止人们互相伤害和被伤害。”

伊壁鸠鲁认为，正义的价值不在于它本身是“好”的，而在于它能带来什么：

• 消除恐惧： 生活在一个公正的社会中，意味着你不太可能受到他人的伤害，也不必担心因自己的不公正行为而受到惩罚或报应。这种免于恐惧的状态是心绪宁静的关键组成部分。
  
  名言：“不公正本身并非邪恶，仅仅在于害怕和担心自己的行为不会逃脱那些被任命惩罚此类罪行的人的注意。”
  因此，一个真正明智的人会选择公正地行事，不是因为道德义务，而是因为这将确保他自己的平静生活。夜不能寐地担心被发现和惩罚，远比遵循简单的公正原则痛苦得多。
  
  

• 社会稳定： 正义的规则使社会得以稳定运行，为个体追求幸福提供了必要的环境。

• 互利互惠： 公正的行为促成了互惠互利的关系，减少了冲突和混乱。

对伊壁鸠鲁而言，正义的法则可以是灵活的，会根据不同社会的需求而变化。但其核心原则——避免互相伤害——是永恒的，因为它直接关系到个体的平静与安全。

友谊与正义：通往幸福的相互作用

友谊和正义共同构成了伊壁鸠鲁幸福生活的社会框架。友谊提供了个体层面的情感支持和安全感，而正义则在社会层面确保了秩序和免于外在威胁的自由。两者都致力于减少恐惧和痛苦——无论是人际关系中的孤独和背叛，还是社会生活中的冲突和惩罚。

通过培养真诚的友谊和遵守正义的契约，伊壁鸠鲁主义者得以建立一个内在和外在都相对平静的世界，从而自由地专注于身体的健康和心灵的宁静。

在我们的下一篇文章中，我们将总结伊壁鸠鲁的主要思想，并探讨其在现代社会中的持久意义。敬请期待！

Epicurean Friendship and Justice (4) – Pillars of Tranquility

Welcome back to our exploration of Epicureanism! We've uncovered some of the core secrets of Epicurean philosophy: his definition of true pleasure (absence of bodily pain and mental disturbance), the importance of managing desires, and how to conquer the fear of death. Today, we turn our attention to two seemingly "external" elements that, in Epicurus's thought, are profoundly crucial social cornerstones for individual happiness: friendship and justice.

In many philosophical systems, friendship and justice might be seen as intrinsic goods or moral imperatives in themselves. Epicurus, however, approached them with his characteristic practical perspective – as powerful and necessary tools for achieving our ultimate goal: ataraxia (tranquility of mind) and aponia (freedom from bodily pain).

Friendship: The Foremost Means to a Happy Life

In Epicurus's "Garden," friendship was elevated to an unparalleled status. It wasn't merely a pleasant embellishment to life but a central component for achieving happiness.

Quote: "Of all the means to ensure happiness throughout the whole life, by far the most important is the possession of friends."

Why was friendship so vital?

• Provides Security and Assurance: Friends offer refuge, support, and protection, alleviating the fear of isolation and danger. In an uncertain world, knowing someone has your back brings immense peace of mind.
  
  Quote: "It is not so much our friends' help that helps us as it is the confident knowledge that they will help us."
  This sense of trust itself acts as a powerful tranquilizer for the mind.
  
  

• Shared Pleasures and Reduced Pain: Friends share simple pleasures and lighten burdens. The very act of spending time with loved ones is a pleasure in itself.

• Trust and Loyalty: Deep friendships are built on mutual trust, which eliminates a layer of anxiety and suspicion often present in human interactions.

• Cornerstone of Community: The success of "The Garden" itself was Epicurus's living testament to the importance of friendship. It was a community of like-minded friends pursuing wisdom and happiness together.

For Epicurus, while friendship ultimately served the individual's benefit (tranquility), it required genuine effort and mutual care. This apparent altruism ultimately repaid itself with greater peace and happiness.

Justice: A Convention to Avoid Suffering

Unlike friendship, Epicurus viewed justice as a utilitarian convention, rather than some sacred, absolute law.

Quote: "Justice is a convention of utility, devised to prevent men from harming one another and from being harmed."

Epicurus argued that the value of justice lay not in its inherent "goodness" but in what it yielded:

• Elimination of Fear: Living in a just society means you are less likely to suffer harm from others, and you don't have to fear punishment or retribution for your own unjust actions. This freedom from fear is a critical component of mental tranquility.
  
  Quote: "Injustice is not an evil in itself, but only in the fear and apprehension that one will not escape the notice of those who have been appointed to punish such offenses."
  Thus, a truly wise person chooses to act justly, not out of moral duty, but because it ensures their own peaceful existence. The sleepless nights worrying about being discovered and punished are far more painful than simply adhering to basic principles of justice.
  
  

• Social Stability: Just rules allow society to function smoothly, providing the necessary environment for individuals to pursue happiness.

• Mutual Advantage: Acting justly leads to mutually beneficial relationships, reducing conflict and chaos.

For Epicurus, the specific rules of justice could be flexible, changing according to the needs of different societies. But its core principle – avoiding mutual harm – was eternal, as it directly related to individual peace and security.

Friendship and Justice: Interacting for Happiness

Together, friendship and justice form the social framework of the Epicurean happy life. Friendship provides emotional support and security at the individual level, while justice ensures order and freedom from external threats at the societal level. Both are instrumental in reducing fear and pain – whether the loneliness and betrayal in personal relationships or the conflict and punishment in societal life.

By cultivating genuine friendships and adhering to the compact of justice, Epicureans are enabled to build a world, both inner and outer, that is relatively peaceful, freeing them to focus on bodily health and mental tranquility.

In our next post, we will summarize Epicurus's main ideas and explore their enduring relevance in modern society. Stay tuned!