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Thumos, also spelled Thymos (Ancient Greek: θυμός), is the Ancient Greek concept of 'spiritedness' (as in "a spirited stallion" or "spirited debate").^[1] The word indicates a physical association with breath or blood and is also used to express the human desire for recognition. It is not a somatic feeling, as nausea and dizziness are.

History

Homer

In Homer's works, thumos was used to denote emotions, desire, or an internal urge. Thumos was a permanent possession of living man, to which his thinking and feeling belonged. When a Homeric hero is under emotional stress, he may externalize his thumos and converse with or scold it.^[2] Achilles, in the Iliad, cares for his own honour; he keeps gods and deities in his heart; "...the thunderous lord of Hera might grant you the winning of glory, you must not set your mind on fighting the Trojans, whose delight is in battle, without me. So you will diminish my honour (thumos)."^[3]

Democritus

Democritus used "euthymia" (i.e. "good thumos") to refer to a condition in which the soul lives calmly and steadily, being disturbed by no fear, superstition, or other passions. For Democritus euthymia was one of the root aspects of the goal of human life.

Plato

Plato's Phaedrus and his later work The Republic discuss thumos as one of the three constituent parts of the human psyche. In the Phaedrus, Plato depicts logos as a charioteer driving the two horses eros and thumos (erotic love and spiritedness are to be guided by logos). In the Republic (Book IV) soul becomes divided into (See Plato's tripartite theory of soul):^[2]

nous ("intellect", "reason"), which is or should be the controlling part which subjugates the appetites with the help of thumos.
thumos ("passion"), the emotional element in virtue of which we feel joy, amusement, etc. (the Republic IV, 439e);
epithumia ("appetite", "affection"), to which are ascribed bodily desires;

Plato suggested we have three parts of our soul, which in combination makes us better in our destined vocation, and is a hidden basis for developing our innate ideas. Thumos may draw from this to strengthen man with our reasoning, this tripartite division is as follows:

Reason (thoughts, reflections, questioning)
Spiritedness (ego, glory, honor) and
Desires (natural e.g. food, drink, sex vs unnatural e.g. money, power).

Contemporary views

Thymos and democracy: megalothymia and isothymia

"Megalothymia" refers to the need to be recognized as superior to others, while "isothymia" is the need to be recognized as merely equal to others. Both terms are neoclassical compounds, coined by Francis Fukuyama. In his book The End of History and the Last Man, Fukuyama mentions "thymos" in relation to liberal democracy and recognition. He relates Socrates' ideas about Thymos and desire to how people want to be recognized within their government. Problems emerge when other people do not recognize another's Thymos, and therefore do not provide the justice that it requires. In order for people to exist in harmony, Fukuyama argues, isothymia rather than megalothymia must be used to satisfy the human need for recognition. Any system that creates political inequality is necessarily feeding the megalothymia of some members while denying it to others. Fukuyama explains how Thymos relates to history with the example of anti-communism in relation to the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and China. He states, "We cannot understand the totality of the revolutionary phenomenon unless we appreciate the working of thymotic anger and the demand for recognition that accompanied communism's economic crisis."^[4]

In medicine

Hyperthymia, dysthymia, cyclothymia, and euthymia (medicine) are mental/behavioral conditions in modern psychology.

Cultural references

In Miguel de Cervantes's Don Quixote the knight has been described as driven by a spirited thymos or anger when his sense of self-worth is denigrated. He only recovers balance, a sense of justice, when he comes to abide among the Saracens. ^[5]
The Phi Theta Kappa honor society took the letter theta for thumos, representing the "aspiration" that they seek in their potential members.
Thymos is the name of an academic Journal of Boyhood Studies [1].
Thumos is the name of an American progressive doom/post-metal band whose music is based on the works of Plato [2].

References

^ Jorgenseon, Chad (2018). The Embodied Soul in Plato's Later Thought. Cambridge University Press. pp. 6–38. doi:10.1017/9781316795651.003. ISBN 9781316795651.
^ ^a ^b Long, A. A. Psychological Ideas in Antiquity. In: Dictionary of the History of Ideas. 1973-74 [2003]. link.
^ Homer (2003). The Iliad (Wordsworth Classics) (New ed.). Ware, Hertfordshire: England: Wordsworth Classics. ISBN 978-1853262425.
^ Fukuyama, Francis. The End of History and the Last Man. Francis Fukuyama 2006: New York, NY.
^ Frederick A. de Armas, Don Quixote among the Saracens: A Clash of Civilizations and Literary Genres. University of Toronto Press, 2011, pp. 162 ff.

[1] Jorgenseon, Chad (2018). The Embodied Soul in Plato's Later Thought. Cambridge University Press. pp. 6–38. doi:10.1017/9781316795651.003. ISBN 9781316795651.

[dictionary-2] Long, A. A. Psychological Ideas in Antiquity. In: Dictionary of the History of Ideas. 1973-74 [2003]. link.

[3] Homer (2003). The Iliad (Wordsworth Classics) (New ed.). Ware, Hertfordshire: England: Wordsworth Classics. ISBN 978-1853262425.

[4] Fukuyama, Francis. The End of History and the Last Man. Francis Fukuyama 2006: New York, NY.

[5] Frederick A. de Armas, Don Quixote among the Saracens: A Clash of Civilizations and Literary Genres. University of Toronto Press, 2011, pp. 162 ff.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Ancient Greek concept of spiritedness}}
-'''''Thumos''''' (also commonly spelled ''''thymos''''; {{lang-grc-gre|θυμός}}) is a Greek word expressing the concept of "spiritedness" (as in "spirited stallion" or "spirited debate"). The word indicates a physical association with breath or blood and is also used to express the human desire for recognition. It is not a somatic feeling, as nausea and giddiness are.
+{{italics title}}
+'''''Thumos''''', also spelled '''''Thymos''''' ({{langx|grc|θυμός}}), is the [[Ancient Greece|Ancient Greek]] concept of {{Gloss|spiritedness}} (as in "a spirited stallion" or "spirited debate").<ref>{{cite book |last1=Jorgenseon |first1=Chad |title=The Embodied Soul in Plato's Later Thought |date=2018 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |pages=6-38 |ISBN=
+9781316795651 |doi=10.1017/9781316795651.003 |url=https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316795651.003 }}</ref> The word indicates a physical association with breath or blood and is also used to express the human desire for recognition. It is not a [[Somatics|somatic]] feeling, as nausea and dizziness are.
 ==History==
+===Homer===
-In [[Homer]]'s works, ''thumos'' was used to denote emotions, desire, or an internal urge.  ''Thumos'' was a permanent possession of living man, to which his thinking and feeling belonged. When a Homeric hero is under emotional stress, he may externalize his ''thumos'' and converse with or scold it.<ref name=dictionary>Long, A. A. Psychological Ideas in Antiquity. In: ''Dictionary of the History of Ideas''. 1973-74 [2003]. [http://xtf.lib.virginia.edu/xtf/view?docId=DicHist/uvaGenText/tei/DicHist4.xml;chunk.id=dv4-01 link].</ref>
+In [[Homer]]'s works, ''thumos'' was used to denote emotions, desire, or an internal urge. ''Thumos'' was a permanent possession of living man, to which his thinking and feeling belonged. When a Homeric hero is under emotional stress, he may externalize his ''thumos'' and converse with or scold it.<ref name=dictionary>Long, A. A. Psychological Ideas in Antiquity. In: ''Dictionary of the History of Ideas''. 1973-74 [2003]. [http://xtf.lib.virginia.edu/xtf/view?docId=DicHist/uvaGenText/tei/DicHist4.xml;chunk.id=dv4-01 link].</ref> [[Achilles]], in the ''[[Iliad]]'', cares for his own honour; he keeps gods and deities in his heart; "...the thunderous lord of [[Hera]] might grant you the winning of glory, you must not set your mind on fighting the [[Troy|Trojans]], whose delight is in battle, without me. So you will diminish my honour (thumos)."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Homer |title=The Iliad (Wordsworth Classics) |date=2003 |publisher=Wordsworth Classics |location=Ware, Hertfordshire: England |isbn=978-1853262425 |edition=  New }}</ref>
+=== Democritus ===
-[[Plato]]'s ''[[Phaedrus (dialogue)|Phaedrus]]'' and his later work ''[[The Republic (Plato)|The Republic]]'' discuss ''thumos'' as one of the three constituent parts of the human [[Psyche (psychology)|psyche]]. In the ''Phaedrus'', Plato depicts ''logos'' as a charioteer driving the two horses ''[[Eros (concept)|eros]]'' and ''thumos'' (erotic love and spiritedness are to be guided by logos). In the ''Republic'' (Book IV) soul becomes divided into (See [[Plato's tripartite theory of soul]]):<ref name=dictionary/>
+[[Democritus]] used "[[Euthymia (philosophy)|euthymia]]" (i.e. "good thumos") to refer to a condition in which the soul lives calmly and steadily, being disturbed by no fear, superstition, or other [[Passions (philosophy)|passions]]. For Democritus euthymia was one of the root aspects of the goal of human life.
+=== Plato ===
+[[Plato]]'s ''[[Phaedrus (dialogue)|Phaedrus]]'' and his later work ''[[The Republic (Plato)|The Republic]]'' discuss ''thumos'' as one of the three constituent parts of the human [[Psyche (psychology)|psyche]]. In the ''Phaedrus'', Plato depicts ''logos'' as a charioteer driving the two horses ''[[Eros (concept)|eros]]'' and ''thumos'' (erotic love and spiritedness are to be guided by logos). In the ''Republic'' (Book IV) soul becomes divided into (See [[Plato's theory of soul#The tripartite soul|Plato's tripartite theory of soul]]):<ref name=dictionary/>
 * ''[[nous]]'' ("[[intellect]]", "[[reason]]"), which is or should be the controlling part which subjugates the appetites with the help of ''thumos''.
-* ''thumos'' ("[[Passion (emotion)|passion]]"), the emotional element in virtue of which we [[Feeling|feel]] anger, fear, etc.;
+* ''thumos'' ("[[Passion (emotion)|passion]]"), the emotional element in virtue of which we [[Feeling|feel]] joy, amusement, etc. (''the Republic'' IV, 439e);
 * ''epithumia'' ("[[Appetition|appetite]]", "[[affection]]"), to which are ascribed bodily [[desire]]s;
-However, the term "[[emotion]]" is relatively modern. It was introduced into academic discussion as a catch-all term to [[Passions (philosophy)|passion]]s, [[Feeling|sentiment]]s and [[affection]]s.<ref>Dixon,T. 2003. ''From Passions to Emotions: The Creation of a Secular Psychological Category''. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 39. [https://books.google.com/books?id=B9c8tNQVI4YC&lpg=PP1&hl=&pg=PA39#v=onepage&q&f=false link].</ref>
-{{Main|Innate ideas}}
 Plato suggested we have three parts of our soul, which in combination makes us better in our destined vocation, and is a hidden basis for developing our [[innate ideas]]. Thumos may draw from this to strengthen man with our reasoning, this tripartite division is as follows:
@@ Line 19: / Line 23: @@
 # Desires (natural e.g. food, drink, sex vs unnatural e.g. money, power).
+== Contemporary views ==
-[[Democritus]] used "[[Euthymia (philosophy)|euthymia]]" (i.e. "good thumos") to refer to a condition in which the soul lives calmly and steadily, being disturbed by no fear, superstition, or other [[Passions (philosophy)|passions]]. For Democritus euthymia was one of the root aspects the goal of human life.
-== Greek polytheism ==
-Achilles’, in the Illiad, cares for his own honour, he keeps god and deities in his heart; "...the thunderous lord of Hera might grant you the winning of glory, you must not set your mind on fighting the Trojans, whose delight is in battle, without me. So you will diminish my honour." <ref>{{cite book |last1=Homer |title=The Iliad (Wordsworth Classics) |date=2003 |publisher=Wordsworth Classics |location=Ware, Hertfordshire: England |isbn=978-1853262425 |edition=  New }}</ref>
 === ''Thymos'' and democracy: megalothymia and isothymia===
+"Megalothymia" refers to the need to be recognized as superior to others, while "isothymia" is the need to be recognized as merely equal to others. Both terms are [[neoclassical compounds]], coined by [[Francis Fukuyama]]. In his book ''[[The End of History and the Last Man]]'',  Fukuyama mentions "thymos" in relation to [[liberal democracy]] and recognition. He relates Socrates' ideas about ''Thymos'' and desire to how people want to be recognized within their government. Problems emerge when other people do not recognize another's ''Thymos'', and therefore do not provide the justice that it requires. In order for people to exist in harmony, Fukuyama argues, ''isothymia'' rather than ''megalothymia'' must be used to satisfy the human need for recognition. Any system that creates political inequality is necessarily feeding the ''megalothymia'' of some members while denying it to others. Fukuyama explains how ''Thymos'' relates to history with the example of anti-communism in relation to the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and China. He states, "We cannot understand the totality of the revolutionary phenomenon unless we appreciate the working of thymotic anger and the demand for recognition that accompanied communism's economic crisis."<ref>Fukuyama, Francis. ''The End of History and the Last Man''. Francis Fukuyama 2006: New York, NY.</ref>
-"Megalothymia" refers to the need to be recognized as superior to others, while "isothymia" is the need to be recognized as merely equal to others. Both terms are [[neoclassical compounds]], coined by [[Francis Fukuyama]].
-In his book ''[[The End of History and the Last Man]]'',  the author mentions "thymos" in relation to [[liberal democracy]] and recognition. He relates Socrates' ideas about ''Thymos'' and desire to how people want to be recognized within their government. Problems emerge when other people do not recognize another's ''Thymos'', and therefore do not provide the justice that it requires. In order for people to exist in harmony, Fukuyama argues, ''isothymia'' rather than ''megalothymia'' must be used to satisfy the human need for recognition. Any system that creates political inequality is necessarily feeding the ''megalothymia'' of some members while denying it to others.
-Fukuyama explains how ''Thymos'' relates to history with the example of anti-communism in relation to the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and China. He states, "We cannot understand the totality of the revolutionary phenomenon unless we appreciate the working of thymotic anger and the demand for recognition that accompanied communism's economic crisis."<ref>Fukuyama, Francis. ''The End of History and the Last Man''. Francis Fukuyama 2006: New York, NY.</ref>
-==Modern concepts==
-[[Harvey Mansfield]], author of the 2006 book on [[Manliness (book)|Manliness]], bringing Thumos to political science, in relation to thumos; “Politics is about what makes you angry, not so much about what you want. Your wants do matter, but mainly because you feel you are entitled to have them satisfied and get angry when they are not.” Politics, which political science misses; “is about who deserves to be more important.”<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mansfield |first1=Harvey |title=How to understand politics |url=https://www.firstthings.com/article/2007/08/004-how-to-understand-politics |website=www.firstthings.com/ |access-date=26 May 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Gewertz |first1=Ken |title=Reintroduce Thumos |url=https://blogs.harvard.edu/guorui/2007/10/16/reintroduce-thumos/ |website=www.blogs.harvard.edu |access-date=26 May 2019}}</ref>
-Mansfield says "People go into politics to pick a fight, not to avoid one... people want to stand for something, which means opposing those who stand for something else.”
+=== In medicine ===
-Robert Kagan defines Thumos as; “a spiritedness and ferocity in defence of clan, tribe, city, or state.”<ref>{{cite web |title=Put Thumos in Your Tank |url=https://standpointmag.co.uk/issues/june-2008/put-thumos-in-your-tank-june/ |website=www.standpointmag.co.uk |access-date=26 May 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Kagan |first1=Robert |title=The Return of History and the End of Dreams |date=2008 |publisher=Knopf |location=New York: United States and Random House: UK |isbn=978-0307269232 |url=https://archive.org/details/returnofhistorye00kaga |access-date=May 26, 2019 |url-access=registration }}</ref> Kagan's argument is men in Western civilization are lacking in thumos, manly virtue, it is what leads many men to self-sacrifice, men must preserve enough thumos to be prepared to die for their country, lest they become decadent and ultimately subservient.
+[[Hyperthymia]], [[dysthymia]], [[cyclothymia]], and [[euthymia (medicine)]] are mental/behavioral conditions in modern psychology.
-== Cultural references==
+=== Cultural references===
+* In [[Miguel de Cervantes]]'s [[Don Quixote]] the knight has been described as driven by a spirited thymos or anger when his sense of self-worth is denigrated. He only recovers balance, a sense of justice, when he comes to abide among the Saracens. <ref> [[Frederick A. de Armas]], ''Don Quixote among the Saracens: A Clash of Civilizations and Literary Genres''. University of Toronto Press, 2011, pp. 162 ff. </ref>
 * The [[Phi Theta Kappa]] honor society took the letter [[theta]] for ''thumos'', representing the "aspiration" that they seek in their potential members.
 * ''Thymos'' is the name of an academic Journal of Boyhood Studies [http://www.mensstudies.com/content/120393].
+* ''Thumos'' is the name of an American progressive doom/post-metal band whose music is based on the works of Plato [https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Thumos/3540487991].
-* [[Aldous Huxley|Aldous Huxley's]] proposed term for [[psychedelics]], ''phanerothyme'', derives from ''thymos''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.csp.org/practices/entheogens/docs/bieberman-phanerothyme.html |title= Phanerothyme: A Western Approach to the Religious Use of Psychochemicals |date=1968-01-01 |access-date=2017-02-01}}</ref>
 == See also ==
-* ''[[Manliness (book)|Manliness]]'', a book by [[Harvey Mansfield]] (he discusses "thumos" in his 2007 [[Jefferson Lecture]] as well [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/08/AR2007050802282.html])
-* ''[[Rage and Time]]'', by [[Peter Sloterdijk]]
 *''[[Amour-propre]]''
-* [[Motivation]]
-* [[Passion (emotion)|Passion]]
-* [[Urge (disambiguation)|Urge]]
-* [[Will (philosophy)|Will]]: the conscious mental act that produces physical results.
 * [[Will to power]]
-* [[Euthymia (philosophy)|Euthymia]]
 == References ==
 {{reflist}}
-[[Category:Ancient Greek philosophical concepts]]
+[[Category:Concepts in ancient Greek philosophy of mind]]
 [[Category:Platonism]]
 [[Category:Mental states]]