《沉思录·卷四·退隐于自己的心》第20条
Everything which is in any way beautiful is beautiful in itself, and terminates in itself, not having praise as part of itself. Neither worse then nor better is a thing made by being praised. I affirm this also of the things which are called beautiful by the vulgar, for example, material things and works of art. That which is really beautiful has no need of anything; not more than law, not more than truth, not more than benevolence or modesty. Which of these things is beautiful because it is praised, or spoiled by being blamed? Is such a thing as an emerald made worse than it was, if it is not praised? or gold, ivory, purple, a lyre, a little knife, a flower, a shrub? [Illustration: INTERIOR OF THE PARTHENON]
注释摘要
奥勒留在这里展开的是一套关于价值自足性的论证。他首先提出一个普遍命题：美的事物之所以美，原因完全在它自身之内，美终止于自身，不需要外在的认可作为组成部分。赞美不能增添它的好，贬损也不能减损它的好。这个命题的逻辑是，如果某物的价值依赖于外部评价，那么评价一变，它的价值就要跟着变，这就意味着它不具有稳定的本性——而真美的东西不该是这样。 这个论证直接服务于斯多…