Desire, Motivation, and Normativity in Ancient Philosophy

This volume explores ancient conceptions of desire and the role it plays in human action. It focuses specifically on models of moral psychology and practical rationality developed by Plato, Aristotle, and the Stoics.

What is desire and what role should it play in human life? This volume provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges and issues related to desire as presented by ancient philosophers, offering fresh insights and scholarly perspectives on this essential aspect of human experience. The contributions advance our understanding of how desire influences psychological and practical rationality in the principal philosophical systems of Greco-Roman antiquity. The chapters address motivational aspects of desire—such as the role of desire as a cause of action—as well as normative ones concerning the role desire plays in the constitution of practical identity.

Desire, Motivation, and Normativity in Ancient Philosophy will appeal to researchers and graduate students working in ancient philosophy, action theory, and moral psychology.