In this video, we begin our discussion of Book II of Plato's Republic. Though much of the book concerns Glaucon and Adeimantus's elaboration and defense of Thrasymachus's encomium for injustice, to understand their arguments it is first necessary to understand the classical philosophical distinction between intrinsic and instrumental goods.
Though Glaucon sets forth a threefold distinction between (i) purely intrinsic goods, (ii) goods both intrinsic and instrumental, and (ii) purely intrinsic goods, the simple distinction between intrinsic and instrumental goods is sufficient for our purposes. Indeed, it was this twofold distinction that was later used by Aristotle in his Nicomachean Ethics. Simply stated, intrinsic goods are desired for their own sakes, whereas instrumental goods are desired only for the sake of some other good.
Understanding this distinction helps us get clear both on the nature of love and desire, as it is expressed in Eastern and Western philosophies, and in the logical structure of action. If all desires are merely for instrumental goods, then there is no end to the longing, and a Buddhist renunciation is in order. But if there are intrinsic goods, or, better yet, a highest good towards which others aim, then, under the right conditions, desire might lead us toward that good. This has been a hope of many Western philosophers such as Augustine, Nietzsche, Goethe, and Hegel.
In this video I also contrast this classical philosophical distinction between intrinsic and instrumental goods with concepts of the good offered in positive psychology, coaching, and management. Specifically, I contrast it with the concept of goodness at play with the wheel of life exercise and the popular psychological distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. In both cases I argue that these management tactics serve to undermine autonomy and critical thinking rather than bolster them. In this regard, the tactics serve an agenda eerily similar to the one explained in Orwell's 1984.
You can find a corresponding essay on my blog here: http://premieretat.com/goods-intrinsic-and-instrumental/
The images used in this video were either created by me or in the public domain. You can find the public domain images here:
Photo by William Santos from Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/hand-shadow-of-anonymous-person-on-wall-6413657/
Photo by Gustavo Fring from Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-in-white-long-sleeve-shirt-holding-injection-3985166/
Caravaggio, The Conversion of St. Paul. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Conversion_of_Saint_Paul-Caravaggio_(c._1600-1).jpg
