The Greek Term Telos, a Meaning for Life
At specific times in our lives, often while driving down an empty street late at night, or lying supine on top of the sheets, unable to sleep, we find ourselves drifting into endless thought about the state of our lives. It may start with a seemingly harmless thought; however, it can quickly expand and have us thinking about what business we could possibly have existing. ‘What am I doing? Am I living it right?’ I know these questions can burn in my mind, especially after a poor decision or sting of regret. When my answer has been “I just don’t know”, it often leads to a feeling of drift, or limbo. This feeling is a condition most of us have gone through, possibly quite regularly.
When feeling like this, we can employ a remedy the Greeks have given us-the concept of τέλος, or in English, Telos. Literally translated, Telos means ‘goal’ or ‘purpose’, but as with so many other Greek terms, it means so much more. Aristotle, one of the most influential of the Greek philosophers, makes this concept an integral part of his writings, and through these we learn that before we set out to do anything, we ought to think about why we’re doing that in the first place. In doing this, we more clearly see our target with our actions and are more able to accomplish our goals; we find what we aim for, and what we are after. This ‘why’ is the Telos of our actions!
So why’s that important? First, thinking about exactly why we want to accomplish a certain thing, like a fitness goal or creative output, greatly increases the chances that we’ll follow through. When I think of my Telos for founding Beyond Athens, I think of all the time I’ve spent reading and studying Greek philosophy and culture, and how much that has helped me become a more self-aware and well-rounded individual. My Telos, in this case, is to share what I’ve learned so far with you, and to learn infinitely more along the way. Similarly, with writing songs, following a diet, or learning a martial art, we ought to remember the reason we want to become accomplished in these things. If we don’t, we risk the pulling force of inertia taking the driver’s seat; we’ll simply ride along the way, not setting out to accomplish what we want. So understanding our Telos in specific cases greatly aids us following through with our goals.
But in a much broader sense, Telos is about finding our ultimate purpose for life. It’s about throwing off the default desires we are given, and finding a sense of fulfillment; finding an answer to the big questions gnawing at our mind as we stare out the crevice of our curtains into the 2 am, starlit sky.
How ought we find life’s purpose?
Aristotle wrote that there are competing answers for the Telos of human life — the acquisition of wealth, honor and fame, or the pursuit of pleasure. Or, in a more modern context, finding financial independence, becoming popular and well-liked by our peers, and simply living life to feel good — e.g. good food and drink, satisfying sexual desires, and finding moments of adrenaline or ecstasy. Although a life with a combination of these goals might appear very satisfying , Aristotle refutes each of them, showing that they couldn’t possibly compose our Telos…
Aristotle’s Refutations
Amassing wealth or getting rich is simply a means, not a goal in itself. What would be the use of money if there was nothing it could buy? There has to be something bigger than that, something more human.
Finding honor and fame, becoming well-liked, finding approval in the eyes of others; these pursuits all rely on one idea at their base. They completely depends on how others see us. If the Greeks knew anything (and they did), it was that you can never completely and truly know somebody other than yourself. Where’s the reason in outsourcing our Telos to people who won’t ever truly know us? We need something more personal, more individual.
The last claim, the pursuit of pleasure, is simply devoid of meaning. Aristotle has no patience for people that devote their lives simply to pleasure. The satisfying of bodily desires and the dogging for an emotional stimulant — by themselves, these are nothing but animal play.
So what ought our Telos be? How We understand that these pursuits listed above are surely tempting, and they look really good. Nonetheless, the Greeks realized there had to be something deeper than these claims for Telos, something truly meaningful. We’ll explore different ways of finding your Telos in the posts to come, including what Aristotle says should be the alternative. In the meantime, I hope this got you thinking. Many of us don’t think in the big picture enough, and find our efforts drifting towards one of the pursuits above.
Beyond Athens
What do you think about it? Ought we find something for our Telos? Is that even possible? These are fundamental questions on the human condition, questions that can inspire, motivate, and manifest important realizations. Beyond Athens, the blog I’m currently starting, is an idea focused on the Greek outlook on the human condition. It’s based on a realization that the Greeks and their ideas have a lot to teach the modern mind, and I want to help share that knowledge with everyone.
Owen Ferguson, Co-founder of Beyond Athens
Originally published at https://www.beyondathensblog.com on December 1, 2020.
