Ataraxia is complete peace of mind and equanimity, a certain composure, serenity, which is not part of the personality or a feature of temperament, but a state achieved by a sage during his life. The concept of ataraxia was introduced by ancient Greek philosophers, then with the development of other directions, the concept deepened more and more, received shades and its own specific interpretations, without departing from the main line.
Ataraxia is a concept not only of philosophy, it has passed into all sciences relating to the human psyche, as a doctrine of the soul. This term is considered not as a life concept, but as a personal quality by psychology, but as a set of symptoms by medicine.
What is ataraxia?
In modern psychology, ataraxia is a mental state characterized by a complete absence of fear, calm and emotional balance.
As a rule, this condition develops as a result of severe emotional shock. Ataraxia allows a person to calmly work on solving a problem, but in psychology it is considered a pathological condition. The term “ataraxia” (emphasis on the third syllable) is derived from the ancient Greek word ἀταραξία (composure, equanimity, serenity).
In ancient philosophy, ataraxia was a state in which a person behaves very calmly and impartially, without showing any emotions at all, both positive and negative. Philosophers viewed ataraxia as the complete triumph of reason over emotions - a state to which any sage strives.
Modern psychology views ataraxia as a pathological condition in which some emotions are severely dulled. It is believed that it is a protective reaction of the psyche that occurs under severe stress. At the same time, psychologists do not directly associate ataraxia with any mental disorders, but consider it a completely natural condition with the help of which the human psyche protects itself from the destructive effects of stress.
From a medical point of view
In contrast to ancient philosophers, modern psychologists perceive the term “ataraxia” in a completely different context. A disease, a disorder, a deviation, which is often acquired - this is how ataraxia is characterized these days. Most often it is covered by psychologists as an intermediate phenomenon in human behavior. On the one hand, ataraxia manifests itself as a consequence of severe stress. The body, enclosing itself within the framework of restraint, composure and indifference, protects itself from further emotional shocks. If ataraxia is achieved in this way (and not artificially, through spiritual practices), then it can have very serious consequences.
How ataraxia manifests itself, examples
The main manifestation of ataraxia, from the point of view of modern psychology, is complete fearlessness and equanimity. In this state, a person is able to behave calmly and balancedly in any tense situation. This is usually seen as a sign of strong character and good self-control, but in practice the condition can have negative consequences. In particular, close people may view him as callous and emotionally indifferent.
In its external manifestations, ataraxia often resembles apathy, but there is nothing in common between these conditions. The main difference is that with ataraxia a person retains the ability to work and is socially active.
The person himself, who is in a state of ataraxia, may feel emotional emptiness , since his ability to experience emotions is blocked or significantly weakened. Many people have experienced similar conditions when they found themselves in a stressful situation. And if a person does not know what ataraxia is, he may well believe that he courageously coped with difficulties solely thanks to the strength of his character.
What does this disease mean?
Many modern researchers are often interested in the question of what ataraxia and aphasia are together and how these concepts are related to each other. So, a mental disorder such as ataraxia, if acquired naturally (a consequence of stress), can lead to more serious disorders in the functioning of the brain. The most famous case is considered to be aphasia - a speech disorder due to damage to the functioning of neurons in the left hemisphere of the brain. It is worth noting that the functioning of the speech apparatus remains healthy. Syntactic norms of speech, morphological or phonemic may be distorted.
Causes of ataraxia
From the point of view of modern psychology, ataraxia is a defensive reaction of the psyche to a traumatic situation. If a person is faced with a strong experience that they find difficult to cope with, their emotions may shut down. At the same time, he begins to behave calmly and calmly, which from the outside looks like a manifestation of strength of character.
Ataraxia can be either temporary or permanent. In the first case, it can be considered as an episodic protective reaction of the body to severe stress, and in the second - as a pathological condition requiring treatment.
The main causes of ataraxia:
- regular stress, depression and other strong experiences;
- mental trauma;
- constant stressful situations in professional activities (for example, among firefighters or among doctors working in intensive care);
- emotional burnout;
- attempts to restrain negative emotions and maintain external calm;
- organic brain damage;
- taking tranquilizers and psychotropic substances.
It is important to consider that ataraxia can be a consequence of certain progressive pathological conditions. And the loss or weakening of emotional reactions can only be an alarming “bell”. Therefore, it is advisable for a person who has discovered signs of ataraxia to consult a psychotherapist to determine the reasons for its development.
Recommendations
- Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
https://www.iep.utm.edu/epictetu/ - Adrian Kuzminiski, Pyrrhonism: How the Ancient Greeks Reinvented Buddhism
2008 p2 - Machuca, Diego E. (2006). "The Pyrrhonists Ἀταραξία and Φιλανθρωπία" (PDF). Ancient philosophy
. vol. 26, no. (1) 1: 114. - Warren, James (2002). Epicurus and Democratic Ethics: The Archeology of Ataraxia
. New York, New York: Cambridge University Press. clause 1. - Sextus Empiricus, The Skeptical Way, translated by Benson Mats, Book I, Chapter 4
- Sextus Empiricus, The Skeptical Way, translated by Benson Mates, Book I, Chapter 12
- ^ a b
O'Keefe, Tim (2010).
Epicureanism
. University of California Press. pp. 117–121. - O'Keefe, Tim (2010). Epicureanism
. University of California Press. pp. 118–119. - ^ a b c d e
O'Keefe, Tim (2010).
Epicureanism
. University of California Press. pp. 119–120. - ^ a b
Sharples, R. W. (1996).
Stoics, Epicureans and Skeptics: An Introduction to Hellenistic Philosophy
. New York, New York: Routledge. pp. 91–92. - ^ a b
Warren, James (2002).
Epicurus and Democratic Ethics: The Archeology of Ataraxia
. New York, NY: Cambridge University. clause 4. - ^ a b c
O'Keefe, Tim (2010).
Epicureanism
. University of California Press. paragraph 120. - Laertius, Diogenes (1925). Lives of Eminent Philosophers, Volume II: Books 6-10
. Translated by Hicks, R. D. Cambrdige, MA: Harvard University Press. item 665. - ^ a b
Striker, Gisela (1990).
"ATARAXIA: HAPPINESS AS BELIEF." Monist
. v. 73, no. 1:99. - Stephen K. Strange, (2004), The Stoics on the Voluntariness of Passion
in
Stoicism: Traditions and Transformations
, p. 37. Cambridge University Press. - ^ a b
Striker, Gisela (1990).
"ATARAXIA: HAPPINESS AS BELIEF." Monist
. v. 73, no. 1: 100–101.
History of the appearance and development of the term
The author of this term is considered to be Democritus, an ancient Greek philosopher who lived in 460-370 BC. It was he who introduced the term ἀταραξία (read as “ataraxia”) into the Greek language, forming it from the combination ἀ τάραχος (“a tarakhos”), which translated means “unperturbed.” At the same time, Democritus did not give an exact definition of the introduced concept and used it quite rarely in his works.
This concept was further developed in the works of Aristotle, who in his own way understood what ataraxia was. He considered it the virtue of wise men and people of strong character. In his understanding, this is a stage of character development, upon reaching which a person becomes immune to various affects and the influence of external circumstances. His mind becomes higher than his feelings, and his every action is weighed and considered. According to Aristotle, only the wisest philosophers can achieve such a state.
Ataraxia was considered an important concept in such philosophical movements as skepticism and Epicureanism. In particular, for skepticism, the meaning of this concept was that reason should always triumph over human emotions , desires and weaknesses. And in Epicureanism, ataraxia was considered as the peak of development of a sage, having achieved which, one can enjoy one’s wisdom.
In the philosophical school founded by Epicurus, great importance was attached to the following principles:
- a person should not feel fear of gods, natural elements and mystical phenomena;
- a person should not be afraid of death;
- a state of bliss is available to everyone and can be achieved through dedicated effort;
- any suffering and adversity can be easily survived if you approach it wisely (this is what they mean when they say: “Treat it philosophically”).
Ataraxia was also of great importance for Stoicism, a philosophical doctrine that arose in the Hellenistic era and existed until the end of the ancient era. The Stoics viewed it as the ability to behave judiciously and calmly , guided when making decisions by common sense, and not by emotional impulses, fears and desires.
It is interesting that the first philosopher whose formulation was close to the modern one was Marcus Aurelius , the Roman emperor who reigned from 161 to 180. He believed that ataraxia is a person’s ability to cope with difficulties, achieved through experiences that made him more callous and reasonable.
Practices of ancient sages
In order to independently achieve the state of ataraxia, first of all, you can use the so-called commandments of Epicurus, since they are focused on obtaining asocial pleasure, which is closest to a person. So, the bottom line is this: to achieve happiness, a person needs to avoid bodily suffering. At the same time, his soul must remain in complete weightlessness. There should be no love, no hatred, no other feelings in it. In the end, a person will need friendship with like-minded people who can share his point of view and philosophy. It will also be a very useful practice to refuse to perceive mutually exclusive concepts, such as grief-joy, beauty-ugliness, life-death, etc. But it is worth realizing that there is no such thing as truth. Everyone has their own, and everyone has a personal point of view and judgment.
Is ataraxia dangerous and does it need to be treated?
If we consider ataraxia to be peace of mind, which many people manage to develop purposefully, then such a state in most cases is more useful than dangerous. It helps a person cope well with stress and avoid nervous strain, in addition, it helps to make correct and well-thought-out decisions. In general, the ability to control emotions, if it is not a consequence of some pathology, is logical to be considered a useful ability and not a dangerous condition.
However, if a person suddenly notices a lack of fear in himself, which clearly contradicts common sense, this is a reason to think. It is likely that ataraxia in his case indicates the presence of a progressive mental disorder or organic brain damage. In this case, you need to make an appointment with a psychotherapist , who can determine the cause of changes in a person’s emotional sensitivity and promptly prescribe treatment, if required.
