If I was a piece of dog poo, would I know it?
In Pursuit of the Good is a personal exploration of the challenges and joys of living a life guided by philosophy and the pursuit of the good. Each week, I investigate my philosophical struggles, the essence of beauty, and the quest for justice in our modern world. This column is a blend of ideas, reflections, and contemplations inspired by quotes and passages that resonate with me.
Last week, I found myself in a heated debate on the nature of goodness. Is it even a thing? On Discord, after other members were discussing ancient history and the significance of Jesus Christ, one participant commented that ancient history — and the Bible at large — were nearly impossible to decipher the true meaning. His point was, essentially, why bother? My reaction was: If you don’t believe in ancient history, do you believe in goodness? He, of course, flipped out and said, “Of course I believe in it!” But the ultimate question I asked was: If you were a piece of dog poo, would you know it? Goodness seems to exist, yet it’s also relative to a higher ideal.
This incident brought to mind a passage from Plato’s Theaetetus, where Socrates delves into the nature of reality and perception. He says, “We were at about the point in our argument where we said that those who declare that only motion is reality, and that whatever seems to each man really is to him to whom it seems, are willing to maintain their position in regard to other matters and to maintain especially in regard to justice that whatever laws a state [an individual] makes, because they seem to it just, are just to the state [individual] that made them, as long as they remain in force.”
This passage prompts me to reflect on the nature of goodness being relative to an ideal form. If a piece of dog poo, which has hallmarks beneficial to, say, microorganisms, is perfectly happy being a lovely piece of dog poo, it’s still dog poo. If there is a larger world above mankind, something beyond what it means to be human, should we aim for it — or should we stay being dog poo? Now, none of this really makes sense. The entire point of the passage is that the soul’s motion depends on goodness, but that goodness is relative to the individual. So mankind must aim for something outside of themselves, to improve themselves, aim at a higher ideal of beauty, and not miss the target, for it to be something bigger and better than itself—and to not just be poo. The notion that justice is whatever laws a state deems just, as long as they are in force, mirrors the relativism I often encounter in modern society. It suggests that our perceptions shape our reality, making justice a construct of societal agreement. However, Socrates highlights the difficulty of applying this relativism to the concept of the good or what is truly advantageous, emphasizing a critical tension in human experience.
Living a just life based on goodness, say, a Platonic life if you must, means grappling with this tension of relativism. On one hand, I navigate a world where societal norms and laws dictate what is considered good. These norms can vary widely, leading to moments of confusion and conflict. For instance, I have often faced situations where the prevailing sense of goodness in my community clashes with my own moral compass—I don’t drink, I don’t do drugs, I don’t consume anything with spirit; I live an ascetic life (it was not always the case, but now I do). These moments force me to question whether complying with societal norms is truly just or merely a convenience to avoid conflict. But really, I’m just trying to figure out how one goes beyond the limits of human potential. If one notices there may be something else larger than themselves—say, the dog poo realizes there is a better life outside. How does it actually transform itself? My guess is—as one aims for goodness or justice—the soul’s motion either increases or decreases, and humanity at large experiences different realms as they ascend and descend by the nature of justice.
On the other hand, the pursuit of the good, or what is genuinely advantageous, demands a deeper, more introspective approach. Unlike societal justice, which can be swayed by the majority’s opinion, the good requires me to seek a more universal truth. This pursuit often brings about struggles and doubts. Making decisions that align with long-term well-being rather than short-term gains can be challenging, especially when immediate pressures and temptations loom large.
The ups and downs of striving towards goodness, and the struggles of being human and having free will, essentially mean that I get to define what beauty and goodness mean to me. The drawback is that if this decision isn't aligned with a higher ideal of beauty, it could cause the soul’s motion to descend into something unpleasant, like a piece of crap. So, everyday life, as a human, is a constant balancing act between societal expectations, fears of descending, and the pursuit of a higher good. It requires the courage to question the status quo and the wisdom to discern what is truly beneficial and just in the long run.
If Plato and Socrates are correct, that God indeed gives birth in the beautiful, and striving towards goodness and justice increases the motion of the soul, granting us greater access to the larger universe. I can only imagine that the powers that be, such as the CIA or the military-industrial complex, would do everything in their power to convince us otherwise—that the soul doesn't exist, that goodness is a myth, and that we should abandon our pursuit of it. They might even go so far as to redefine beauty, telling us it’s nothing more than having a $19.99 Big Mac. Living according to philosophy, however, means rejecting these illusions and striving for a higher standard, even when it leads to personal struggles and societal friction. I must look beyond the immediate and the apparent to find a deeper, more enduring sense of the good in my life. So, whether it's about the justice of ancient texts or the deeper questions of existence, I am reminded to seek out what is truly good, even if it means challenging popular opinion and enduring a few philosophical debates along the way.
