  In outlining his views about the nature of the good, Cardano is following a deliberately eclectic approach. He combines the Stoic conception of virtue with Epicurus’ emphasis on indifference (indolentia), Aristotle’s notion of virtuous life with Averroes’ characterization of happiness as the highest level of knowledge accessible to human beings. He justifies his eclectic position by arguing that philosophers who were so clever in their fields are likely to have come up with closely related ideas and that therefore “two or more of their opinions can converge into one” (De utilitate, OO, II, 24b). From Socrates, for instance, Cardano draws the principle that only wise people can be truly happy because virtue lies in knowledge (De utilitate, OO, II, 90b). From medical authors, he borrows the view that pleasure always follows release from a condition of tension or pain (De utilitate, OO, II, 28a). Following traditional argumentative patterns in moral philosophy, Cardano distinguishes among goods of the mind (virtues), goods of the body (health, longevity), and goods of fortune. Among the goods of fortune, Cardano lists finding the right wife, a lasting fame, and a painless death (De utilitate, OO, II, 19b). Goods of the body, such as enjoying good health and following a healthy regimen, are also part of one’s happiness (De utilitate, OO, II, 19a; on Cardano’s notion of health, see Siraisi, 70–90).