Apotheosis Voluptatis : Marsilio Ficino on Wellbeing

Molnár, Dávid (2024) Apotheosis Voluptatis : Marsilio Ficino on Wellbeing. In: Wellbeing in Early Modern Christianity. Refo500 Academic Studies (R5AS) (102). Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen, pp. 121-131. ISBN 9783525500859

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Abstract

At the end of his commentary on Philebus, Marsilio Ficino (1433–1499) recites two allegorical fables about Voluptas (Pleasure),1 where the Florentine philosopher tries to balance the sweetness of sensual life with the bitterness of spiritual and intellectual life. Using the two fables as a starting point, this essay explores the concept of wellbeing in Ficino’s oeuvre. As Ficino repeatedly states – as will be seen below – every single being longs for wellbeing. The question is, what exactly is wellbeing? After a summary and interpretation of the two allegorical fables, the essay proposes an approach to the understanding of Ficino’s concept of wellbeing and argues that his concept has a fundamentally epistemological character.

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