The dyschereis of the Magna Moralia

The identity of the ‘enemies of Philebus’ at Philebus 44b-51a, known as the dyschereis thanks to the prominence of this adjective and of some striking related terminology, has long been a matter of controversy. I here examine only a preliminary question that ought to be raised in relation to Plato’s dyschereis, namely whether they are to be identified with the anti-hedonists of the Aristotelian Magna Moralia (MM). While the MM is certainly not discussing philosophers who have difficulty talking about pleasure, and the Philebus discusses those for whom pleasures as ordinarily conceived simply do not exist, this must not discourage our investigation. For it is absurd that any anti-hedonists should abolish the word ‘pleasure’ from their philosophic discourse.