In this post, we’re diving in to the concepts that started in Ancient Greece that still feature in our lives today; the concepts of telos (purpose), as outlined in Aristotle’s “Nicomachean Ethics”, and the concepts of ethos, pathos and logos from his work, “Rhetoric.”
Telos can be described as the purpose of a thing; life, a knife, car, bollard, even book. All this things have an intrinsic purpose. A life purpose is telos. The telos of a knife is to cut. The telos of a car is to be driven. The telos of a bollard is to block. The telos of a book is to be read.
My autistic brain had had me struggling with fault life for a couple of weeks, so I turned to ChatGPT to help me with this blog post.
ChatGPT: Each of these terms originates from ancient Greek philosophy and rhetoric, and they represent key aspects of communication, purpose, and human emotion.
1. Telos:
Telos refers to an ultimate aim, purpose, or end goal. It’s the idea that everything has a final cause or inherent purpose, a concept often explored by Aristotle. In practical terms, telos could refer to the purpose or objective behind any action, decision, or system. For instance, in ethics, one might consider the telos of a person’s life to achieve happiness or fulfillment.
2. Pathos:
Pathos is related to emotion and is one of Aristotle’s three modes of persuasion. It refers to the emotional appeal used to convince an audience by evoking feelings such as sympathy, anger, or excitement. In rhetoric, speakers use pathos to connect emotionally with their audience, making their message resonate on a deeper, more personal level.
3. Logos:
Logos refers to logic and reasoning. It’s the use of evidence, facts, data, and rational arguments to persuade others. In rhetoric, logos is the appeal to the intellect, ensuring that an argument is structured coherently, supported by solid reasoning, and makes logical sense.
4. Ethos:
Ethos is about credibility and ethics. It refers to the character or trustworthiness of the speaker or writer. An argument grounded in ethos relies on the authority, integrity, or moral standing of the person delivering it. Establishing ethos helps build trust with the audience.
These four concepts often work together in effective communication, with ethos establishing trust, logos appealing to reason, pathos engaging emotions, and telos providing a sense of purpose or direction.
Me: They all come from Aristotle, don’t they, or was Aristotle the one we note who wrote these things?
ChatGPT: Yes, Aristotle is the philosopher most closely associated with these concepts, particularly in the context of rhetoric and philosophy. While some of these ideas existed in Greek thought before him, it was Aristotle who formalized and systematized them in his works, especially in “Rhetoric” and “Nicomachean Ethics.”
Pathos, logos, and ethos are central to Aristotle’s model of persuasion in “Rhetoric”, where he discusses how speakers or writers can effectively persuade their audience by appealing to emotion (pathos), reason (logos), and credibility (ethos).
Telos, on the other hand, is most famously discussed in “Nicomachean Ethics”, where Aristotle introduces the idea that everything in nature has a purpose or an end goal (telos), particularly when he speaks of the purpose of human life as achieving eudaimonia (flourishing or happiness).
So while some of these ideas may have existed before Aristotle, he was the one who structured them in a way that became foundational for Western philosophy and rhetoric.
Me: Referring back to telos, what are some current thoughts on life purpose?
ChatGPT: Current thoughts on this topic have evolved, becoming more individualized and holistic. The idea of having a “life purpose” is now seen as something deeply personal, influenced by psychological, philosophical, and social factors. For autistic individuals, thoughts and practices surrounding life purpose might diverge from neurotypical approaches due to differences in perception, experience, and the value placed on certain societal norms. Let’s break it down:
Current Thoughts on Life Purpose
1. Self-Defined Purpose:
More people are moving away from the idea of a singular, predetermined life purpose, instead focusing on creating or defining their own purpose. This often includes personal growth, well-being, and connection with others.
2. Evolving Purpose:
Rather than a static goal, many believe that life purpose evolves over time. It can change based on life experiences, shifting values, or new understandings of the self.
3. Holistic Well-Being:
The focus has expanded to include emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being. Finding life purpose is now often tied to practices like mindfulness, self-compassion, and balance, rather than external success or achievement.
4. Contribution and Connection:
For many, life purpose is linked to contributing to the well-being of others or society, whether through work, family, or community. This contribution gives people a sense of connection and fulfillment.
5. Career vs. Life:
There’s growing recognition that purpose doesn’t have to be tied to a career. People are exploring how they can find meaning in multiple aspects of life—relationships, hobbies, learning, and self-discovery.
What’s in Part 2? Telos and autism. Come on, you had to know there’d be something about autism in here, didn’t you?
The Auld Skald's Fudgel 