apathy

apathy
Although it is the particular enemy of teachers and sports coaches, apathy often gets a good philosophical press, especially in ethical systems that regard desire and worldly interest as low and unworthy. Plato recognizes the need for passion or eros even in the advanced contemplative state of the philosopher, but Hindu, Buddhist, Stoical and some Christian traditions have all looked askance at desire. Hobbes shrewdly points out that while we live we have desires (see summum bonum ) and Alexander Pope sides with the energetic: ‘In lazy Apathy let Stoics boast, Their Virtue fix’d; ’tis fix’d as in a frost’ (An Essay on Man, ii). However, like Stoics and Buddhists, Kant found apathy to be particularly excellent: bliss is a state of ‘complete independence from inclinations and desires’ and this freedom is both itself a virtue and presupposed by other virtues. Aquinas, however, recognizes the desolation involved in turning away from what is good, and classifies it as a leading or capital sin. See accidie , ataraxia , autonomy/heteronomy, love.

Philosophy dictionary. . 2011.

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  • Apathy — Ap a*thy, n.; pl. {Apathies}. [L. apathia, Gr. ?; a priv. + ?, fr. ?, ?, to suffer: cf. F. apathie. See {Pathos}.] Want of feeling; privation of passion, emotion, or excitement; dispassion; applied either to the body or the mind. As applied to… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Apathy — ist der Name folgender Personen: Peter Apathy (* 1948), österreichischer Jurist und Hochschullehrer Apathy (Rapper) (* 1979), US amerikanischer Rapper Diese Seite ist eine Begriffsklärung zur Unterscheidung mehrerer mit demse …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • apathy — index disinterest (lack of interest), indifference, inertia, languor, laxity, sloth Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burto …   Law dictionary

  • apathy — (n.) c.1600, freedom from suffering, from Fr. apathie (16c.), from L. apathia, from Gk. apatheia freedom from suffering, impassability, want of sensation, from apathes without feeling, without suffering or having suffered, from a without (see A… …   Etymology dictionary

  • apathy — phlegm, stolidity, impassivity, impassiveness, stoicism (see under IMPASSIVE) Analogous words: inertness, inactivity, passiveness, supineness (see corresponding adjectives at INACTIVE): indifference, unconcern, aloofness, detachment (see… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • apathy — [n] uncaring attitude, lack of interest aloofness, coldness, coolness, detachment, disinterest, dispassion, disregard, dullness, emotionlessness, halfheartedness, heedlessness, indifference, insensibility, insensitivity, insouciance, lassitude,… …   New thesaurus

  • apathy — ► NOUN ▪ lack of interest or enthusiasm. ORIGIN Greek apatheia, from apath s without feeling …   English terms dictionary

  • apathy — [ap′ə thē] n. pl. apathies [Fr apathie < L apathia < Gr apatheia < a , without + pathos, emotion: see PATHOS] 1. lack of emotion 2. lack of interest; listless condition; unconcern; indifference …   English World dictionary

  • Apathy — For other uses, see Apathy (disambiguation) …   Wikipedia

  • apathy — noun ADJECTIVE ▪ general, widespread ▪ political, public, voter VERB + APATHY ▪ suffer from ▪ …   Collocations dictionary

  • apathy — n. 1) to feel; show apathy towards 2) to cast off, shed, throw off one s apathy 3) apathy towards * * * [ æpəθɪ] shed show apathy towards throw off one s apathy to cast off to feel apathy towards …   Combinatory dictionary

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