《沉思录·卷十·顺应整体》第35条
The healthy eye ought to see all visible things and not to say, I wish for green things; for this is the condition of a diseased eye. And the healthy hearing and smelling ought to be ready to perceive all that can be heard and smelled. And the healthy stomach ought to be with respect to all food just as the mill with respect to all things which it is formed to grind. And accordingly the healthy understanding ought to be prepared for everything which happens; but that which says, Let my dear children live, and let all men praise whatever I may do, is an eye which seeks for green things, or teeth which seek for soft things.
注释摘要
奥勒留在这里做了一个层层推进的类比，用的是身体器官的功能来推知理智的本分。他的逻辑很直接：健康眼睛的本性是接纳一切可见之物，不挑不拣。如果一只眼睛说“我只想看绿色的东西”，那一定是病了——因为绿色只是光谱中的一小段，眼睛的结构明明是为了接受全部可见光的。同理，耳朵和鼻子如果健康，就对所有声音和气味开放，而不是只想要悦耳或芬芳的。胃的比喻更露骨：健康的胃是一…