Chapter 89
The Story of Spurina
THE STORY OF SPURINA Philosophy thinks she has not ill employed her talent when she has given the sovereignty of the soul and the authority of restraining our appetites to reason. Amongst which, they who judge that there is none more violent than those which spring from love, have this opinion also, that they seize both body and soul, and possess the whole man, so that even health itself depends upon them, and medicine is sometimes constrained to pimp for them; but one might, on the contrary, also say, that the mixture of the body brings an abatement and weakening;…
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Critical Thinking Exercise
Map Your Competing Appetites
List three things you want right now in different areas of your life. For each one, ask: If I got more of this, would I be satisfied, or would I want even more? Then identify which desire is currently getting most of your time and mental energy. Notice if the hungriest appetite is the one making your important decisions.
Consider:
- •Physical needs (sleep, food, comfort) usually have natural stopping points
- •Status needs (recognition, power, being right) tend to grow when fed
- •The desire you think about most during quiet moments is probably your dominant appetite
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when one desire grew so strong it started affecting other areas of your life. What would you do differently now that you understand how appetites compete?
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