Democritus: “Best for a human being…”

Source and attribution

The archive attributes this English wording to DK 68B191 (and related) and files it under Pre-Socratic. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.

About Democritus

Democritus (c. 460–c.

How to read this passage

Dualism, materialism, functionalism, and phenomenological descriptions compete. AI renews old questions about understanding and experience. This passage enters that discussion through mind.

Concepts in this quote

Mind: Philosophy of mind asks what consciousness, thought, and mental life are—and how they relate to body and world.

How to cite this quotation

APA: Democritus. (n.d.). Best for a human being is to live life with as much cheerfulness and as little distress as possible. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0382

MLA: Democritus. “Best for a human being is to live….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0382.

Chicago: Democritus. “Best for a human being is to live….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0382.

Frequently asked questions

What is the source of the quotation “Best for a human being is to live…”?

The passage is attributed to Democritus, DK 68B191 (and related). The archive attributes this English wording to DK 68B191 (and related) and files it under Pre-Socratic. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.

What does Democritus mean by mind?