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The Ethical and Political Philosophy of Pierre Gassendi

1982; Johns Hopkins University Press; Volume: 20; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1353/hph.1982.0033

1538-4586

Lisa T. Sarasohn,

Classical Philosophy and Thought

The Ethical and Political Philosophy of Pierre Gassendi L. T. SARASOHN THE EnRLV seventeenth-century French philosopher and cleric Pierre Gassendi has been largely forgotten in modern times, except perhaps as a footnote to Descartes's Meditationes. 1 Yet, in his own time Gassendi was regarded as the intellectual peer of Descartes, and he represented a fundamental difference in philosophic orientation. While Descartes tried to rescue philosophic certainty from the perils of the skeptical revival, Gassendi rejected rationalism in favor of empircism. ~Starting from an empirical epistemology, Gassendi constructed a scientific philosophy which integrated the new mechanical science with Epicurean atomism? While Descartes largely confined himself to harmonizing his rationalism with theological imperatives, Gassendi explored the ramifications of his reinvigorated and Christianized Epicureanism for ethical and political issues as well. Modern scholars have consistently undervalued Gassendi's ethical theory, ' In the spring of 1641, Descartes asked Father Mersenne to circulate the Meditationes (not yet published) among the philosophically able of his friends in order to elicit comments and objections. Mersenne, Hobbes, and Gassendi all wrote objections, which, with some others, were published at the end of the 164] edition of the Meditationes. Gassendi republished his "Objectiones Quintae" and further debate with Descartes in the a644 Disquisitio Metaphysica. For a full account of this incident, see G. Sortais, La Philosophie Moderne depuis Baconjusqu'a Leibniz, 2 vols. (Paris, 192o), 2:11-15. R. H. Popkin, The History of Scepticism (New York, 1964), p. 145. Discussions of Gassendi's "modified skepticism" can also be found in the following works: H. Berr, Du Scepticisme de Gassendi (Paris, 1898); J. S. Spink, French Free-thought from Gassendi to Voltaire (New York, 196o), pp. 84ff.; O.R. Bloch, La Philosophie de Gassendi (The Hague, 1971), pp. I ao-47. 3 Gassendi's atomic theories are elaborated in the "Physica" of his Syntagma Philosophicam, published in the Opera Omnia, 6 vols. (Lyon, 1658), vols. I and 2. For the most recent treatment of Gassendi's scientific thought, see Bloch, Philosophie de Gassendi, where he argues that Gassendi was part of the nominalist tradition. [239] 240 HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY dismissing it as unoriginal and unimportant. 4 But close examination shows that Gassendi used his comprehensive knowledge of Epicurean ethics to develop his own profound ethical and political system. This system is elaborated in Book 3, appropriately entitled "Ethica," of his Syntagma Philosophicam. 5 Gassendi's first task in his transmutation of Epicureanism was to rid the ancient philosophy of the atheistic assumptions that had been associated with it since its inception. The Church Fathers had vehemently attacked Epicurus 's denial of divine providence and the immortality of the soul. 6 The entire Epicurean moral system was much less amenable to Christian rehabilitation than was its physics. Whereas one could simply introduce God as the creator and maintainer of the atoms, thus establishing creation and providence, 7 Epicurean utility and the pleasure principle could not so easily be transformed into Christian charity and self-sacrifice.8 Epicurus had argued that all our actions are based on a calculation of what would most maximize our pleasure and minimize our pain; this calculation is entirely devoid of any other moral content except individual selfinterest . Self-interest would encourage self-sufficiency, since it is better to "live apart" (lathe biosis) from the complications and dangers of social life.~ The political passivity encouraged by the Epicurean antisocial morality 4 Bloch condemns Gassendi's ethical writings as full of "la platitude et l'inconsistance" (pp. 376-77). Rochot believes Gassendi was "tr~s conformiste" ("Gassendi: Le Philosophe," in Pierre Gassendi: Sa Vie et Son Oeuvre [Paris, x955], p. 99). The "Ethics" was written some time between 1634 and 1645. Its date of composition is interesting, because various themes in Gassendi's work reflect an ongoing debate with Descartes and Hobbes. For a more complete discussion of Gassendi's relationship with these philosophers, see chaps. 6 and 7 of my dissertation, The Influence o[Epicurean Philosophyon Seventeenth Century Ethical and Political Thought: The Moral Philosophyof Pierre Ga.~sendi(University of California, Los Angeles, x979). 6 The third-century Christian Apologists Arnobius and Lactantius were particularly concerned with refuting Epicurus. By the fourth century, however...