The Serpent in the Garden of the Soul: Unpacking Desire as the Root Cause of Sin

Our journey through the annals of Western thought reveals a persistent, profound truth: that desire, when unchecked and improperly directed by the will, stands as the fundamental cause of sin. This article delves into how philosophers from Plato to Augustine and Aquinas have grappled with the intricate relationship between our innate appetites and our moral failings, positing that it is not desire itself, but our assent to disordered desire, that leads us astray. It is in the often-turbulent interplay between what we crave and what we choose that the true genesis of moral transgression lies.

The Enduring Question of Our Fallibility

From the earliest philosophical inquiries, humanity has wrestled with the question of why we so often fail to live up to our own ideals. Why do we know what is good, yet so frequently pursue that which is harmful, to ourselves and to others? The answer, as illuminated by the profound thinkers whose works comprise the Great Books of the Western World, consistently points to the powerful, often unruly force of desire. It is an impulse, an appetite, a longing that, while natural and necessary for life, holds within it the potential for corruption and moral decay.

Defining the Terms: Desire, Sin, and the Will's Crucial Role

To understand how desire acts as the cause of sin, we must first clarify our terms within a philosophical framework.

  • Desire: At its most basic, desire is an inclination or appetite towards something perceived as good or pleasurable. It can be as fundamental as hunger or thirst, or as complex as the yearning for knowledge, power, or love. Philosophers often distinguish between natural desires (for survival, propagation) and acquired desires (for wealth, fame).
  • Sin: In a broad philosophical sense, sin can be understood as an act, thought, or omission that transgresses moral or divine law; it is a turning away from the good, often towards a lesser, apparent good. It represents a disharmony, an imbalance within the individual and often in their relationship with the community or the divine.
  • The Will: This is the faculty of choice, the rational power to direct one's actions. The will is not merely a passive recipient of desire but an active agent that can consent to, resist, or reorient desires. It is the linchpin in the transformation of mere desire into culpable sin.

Key Insights from the Great Books

Philosopher/Tradition View on Desire Role of Will Connection to Sin
Plato Appetites (epithymia) are distinct from reason and spirit. Can be unruly. Reason, guided by the charioteer (will/intellect), must control appetites. When appetites overpower reason, leading to imbalance and injustice in the soul.
Aristotle Appetites (orexis) are natural, but virtue lies in moderation and choosing the mean. The will (prohairesis) makes deliberate choices based on reason. Akrasia (weakness of will) allows desire to override reason. Acting against one's better judgment due to uncontrolled desire, leading to moral failure.
Augustine of Hippo "Disordered love" (cupiditas) is desire directed towards lesser goods, away from God. The will is free but fallen. It chooses to turn away from the ultimate good, driven by disordered desire. Original sin introduced a bias towards disordered desire, making the will prone to choosing lesser goods.
Thomas Aquinas Concupiscible and irascible appetites are natural, but can be disordered. The intellect presents goods, and the will chooses. Sin occurs when the will chooses an apparent good over a true good, often swayed by intense desire. The voluntary choice of a lesser good, prompted by desire, constitutes sin.

The Ancient Insights: Reason vs. Appetite

Plato, in his Republic, famously illustrates the soul as a chariot pulled by two horses: one noble (spirit, thumos) and one unruly (appetite, epithymia), guided by the charioteer (reason, logos). For Plato, sin or moral failing occurs when the appetitive part of the soul, driven by its insatiable desires for pleasure, wealth, or power, overpowers reason. The will, in this context, is the charioteer's skill in directing these forces. A soul in which appetite reigns supreme is a disordered, unjust soul, prone to transgression.

Aristotle, building on this, explored the concept of akrasia, often translated as "weakness of will" or "incontinence." He observed that individuals can know what is good and rational, yet still act contrary to that knowledge, swayed by powerful desires. Here, desire does not directly cause sin in the sense of being the act itself, but rather it acts as the compelling force that seduces the will away from its rational choice, leading to the sinful act. The cause is the failure of the will to resist the strong pull of appetite.

The Christian Perspective: Disordered Love and the Fallen Will

With Augustine of Hippo, the concept of desire as the cause of sin takes on a profound theological dimension. In his Confessions and other works, Augustine posits that sin is not merely an intellectual error but a manifestation of "disordered love" (cupiditas). This is a desire for temporal, lesser goods (such as wealth, power, or carnal pleasures) that displaces the proper love for God, the ultimate good.

For Augustine, the will is central. It is the will that chooses to turn away from God, driven by these disordered desires. The Fall of Man introduced a deep wound in human nature, leading to a perpetual struggle where the will is inclined towards sin, swayed by the powerful currents of concupiscence (disordered desire). Thus, desire, in its fallen state, becomes the proximate cause of our transgressions, as the will, though free, often succumbs to its allure.

Thomas Aquinas, synthesizing Aristotelian philosophy with Christian theology in his Summa Theologica, further refines this understanding. He distinguishes between natural appetites (which are morally neutral) and the voluntary choice of the will. Sin, for Aquinas, is a voluntary act that deviates from right reason and divine law. While our appetites (desires) can incline us towards certain actions, it is the will's deliberate consent to these desires, especially when they are disordered or irrational, that constitutes the sinful act. The cause is not the desire itself, but the will's choice to follow a disordered desire over a rational, virtuous path.

The Mechanism of Transgression: How Desire Becomes Sin

The journey from a mere impulse to a sinful act typically follows a discernible path, where desire plays a crucial, causal role:

  1. Inception of Desire: A longing arises—for pleasure, for possession, for revenge, etc. This initial impulse is often morally neutral.
  2. Deliberation/Consideration: The mind considers the object of desire. Reason might present arguments against pursuing it, while passion might amplify its allure.
  3. The Will's Moment of Choice: This is the critical juncture. The will can:
    • Resist: Employ reason and self-control to deny the disordered desire.
    • Indulge: Consent to the desire, even if reason dictates otherwise.
    • Reorient: Redirect the underlying energy of the desire towards a virtuous end.
  4. Action (or Inaction): If the will consents to the disordered desire, it leads to the physical or mental act of sin.

Therefore, while desire is a powerful motive force, it is the will's assent to a disordered desire that truly acts as the immediate cause of sin. The desire presents the temptation; the will makes the choice.

Given the potent role of desire in the genesis of sin, what remedies do these profound thinkers propose?

  • Cultivation of Reason: For Plato and Aristotle, strengthening reason through philosophy and education is paramount. A well-reasoned soul can better discern true goods from apparent goods and guide the will.
  • Virtuous Habits: Aristotle emphasized the importance of habituating oneself to virtue. By consistently choosing the mean and acting virtuously, one strengthens the will and makes it less susceptible to disordered desires.
  • Self-Discipline and Asceticism: Many philosophers and religious traditions advocate for practices of self-control and moderation to temper the appetites and prevent them from overwhelming reason and will.
  • Divine Grace: For Augustine and Aquinas, while human effort is necessary, ultimate victory over sin and disordered desire often requires divine grace to heal the wounded will and reorient one's desires towards God.

Conclusion: A Timeless Struggle

The enduring wisdom of the Great Books of the Western World consistently points to desire as a fundamental, often treacherous, aspect of the human condition. While desire itself is not inherently evil, its potential to become disordered, to lead our will astray from reason and virtue, firmly establishes it as the primary cause of sin. Understanding this intricate relationship—between our cravings, our choices, and our moral failures—is not merely an academic exercise; it is a timeless inquiry crucial for self-knowledge, ethical living, and the perpetual human striving towards a more virtuous existence.

(Image: A classical oil painting depicting a contemplative figure, perhaps a philosopher or saint, seated before a half-open book. Behind them, faintly visible, are allegorical figures representing the struggle between reason and passion, perhaps a winged figure of virtue gently guiding a more earthly, grasping figure of appetite. The scene is lit by a soft, ethereal light, emphasizing introspection and moral choice.)

Video by: The School of Life

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Video by: The School of Life

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