General Principles of Epicurean Ethics

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  • 1. Introduction To Epicurean Ethics

    Epicurean ethics centers on the pursuit of a pleasurable life. The foundation of this ethical system is built on the belief that pleasure is the highest good (telos), and the natural end of human existence. A key aspect of this system is that "pleasure" is not held to involve sensory stimulation alone, but includes all activities and conditions of life which are not painful.

    1.1. The Nature of Pleasure

    Epicurus identified pleasure as the primary motivator of human action. From birth, humans seek pleasure and avoid pain, indicating that pleasure is a fundamental component of life.

    1.2. The Role of Desires

    Epicurus categorized desires into three types: natural and necessary, natural but not necessary, and neither natural nor necessary. Natural and necessary desires, such as the need for food and shelter, must be satisfied to maintain a healthy and happy life. Natural but not necessary desires, like the craving for luxury foods, can enhance life but are not essential. Desires that are neither natural nor necessary, such as the pursuit of wealth and fame, are more difficult to obtain, and frequently lead to anxiety and dissatisfaction. As a general approach, evaluating desires to identify which of these categories they constitute will be of assistance in predicting the amount of pleasure and pain likely to be encountered as a result of their pursuit. In the end, however, the goal sought is that of "greatest" pleasure, which must be determined according to individual context and preference, and which is not subject to objective classification.

    1.3. The Calculus of Advantage

    Epicurus introduced a practical approach to ethics known as the calculus of advantage, which involves evaluating the consequences of our actions in terms of pleasure and pain. This rational method helps individuals make choices that maximize pleasure and minimize pain. By carefully assessing the potential outcomes of actions, one can achieve a pleasureable life, and always have more reason for joy than for vexation. This approach emphasizes the importance of wisdom in guiding ethical decisions and achieving long-term happiness, but does not make wisdom a goal in itself.

    1.4. The Importance of Friendship

    Friendship holds a major place in Epicurean ethics due to its productiveness in contributing to pleasure and happiness. Epicurus held that friendship is the a primary tool for obtaining security and comfort, helping individuals face life's challenges. Friendship should be based on mutual benefit and trust, enhancing the quality of life. Epicurus considered the cultivation of friendships as one of the highest pleasures and a vital component of a happy life.

    1.5. The Rejection of Superstition and Fear

    A central tenet of Epicurean ethics is the rejection of superstition and irrational fear, particularly the fear of gods and death. Epicurus argued that study and resulting understanding of natural world dispels these fears. He taught that any gods which may exist take no participation in human affairs, and that death is simply the cessation of sensation, which should not be feared, because all good and evil comes through sensation. By understanding these truths individuals can greatly reduce mental pain and anxiety, and they can focus on pursuing happiness through pleasurable living.

    1.6. The Principle of Justice

    Epicurus held that justice does not exist in the absolute, and that the application of the term "just" or "unjust" to something is dependant upon time, place, and other circumstances. As a result, justice become primarily a social agreement in which the individuals involve agree not to harm each other. Epicurus held that relationships of justice arise naturally due to the pursuit of pleasurable living, and are not defined or handed down by gods or by ideal concepts. Actions which are considered unjust, on the other hand, when they produce concern over retribution and resulting disturbance of peace of mind.

    1.7. The Pursuit of Self-Sufficiency and Independence

    Epicurus advocated that as a practical matter material wealth, fame, and political power, often do not lead to happiness. He therefore advocated for the pursuit of a lifestyle involving self-sufficiency and independence, emphasizing that these provide freedom from the fickleness and dependence on the crowds. Epicurus pointed out that since all aspects of human life which are not painful are pleasurable, pleasure is generally relatively easy to attain and sustain without material wealth, fame, and political power, and that pain is generally relatively easy to avoid or endure.

    1.8. Continuous Pleasure

    A unique aspect of Epicurean ethics arises from the consideration of all experience which is not painful to be pleasurable, as this attitude leads to the possibility of continuous pleasure. Epicurus taught the person who chooses and avoids wisely can expect always to have more reason for joy than for vexation, which leads to a continuous state of the predominance of pleasure over pain and therefore happiness.


    2. Happiness And Its Relationship To Pleasure

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    3. Life

    1. Life Is Desirable
    2. Infinite Time Contains No Greater Pleasure Than A Limited Life
    3. The Best Life
    4. How Long Should We Seek To Live?


    4. Death

    1. Death is Nothing To Us And There Is No Reward Or Punishment After Death


    5. Pleasure And Pain

    1. The Nature And Meaning Of The Word "Pleasure"
    2. By Pleasure We Mean All Experience That Is Not Painful. If We Are Aware Of Anything At All, What We Are Aware of Is Either Pleasurable Or Painful. There is No Neutral or Third State.
    3. Whatever Is Not Painful is Pleasurable
    4. The Desirability of Pleasure
    5. Why Sometimes We Choose Pain And Avoid Pleasure
    6. Pleasure Is The Guide of Life
    7. Pleasure Is the Goal of Life
    8. The Relationship Of Mental and Bodily Feelings
    9. Pleasures Differ In Duration, Intensity, And Part of the Body Effected
    10. The Quantitative "Limit" In Total Pleasure
    11. The Term "Pleasure" Is Equivalent To "Absence of Pain"
    12. The Nature of Pain
    13. The Undesirability of Pain
    14. The Manageability of Pain


    6. Good And Evil

    1. All Good And Evil Consists In Sensation
    2. There Is No Good But Pleasure
    3. There is No Evil But Pain


    7. Virtue

    1. The Nature of Virtue
    2. Piety - The Proper Attitude Toward The Gods
    3. Virtue Is Not Absolute Or An End in Itself. Virtue Is Not The Same For All People, Times, And Places, And Virtue Is Instrumental To Pleasure Rather Than An End In Itself
    4. The Virtue Of Prudence
    5. The Virtue Of Friendship
    6. The Virtue Of Courage
    7. The Virtue Of Justice
    8. The Virtue Of Honesty
    9. The Virtue Of Confidence
    10. The Virtue Of Beneficence
    11. The Virtue Of Temperance
    12. The Virtue Of Considerateness
    13. The Virtue Of Hope
    14. The Virtue Of Independence And Self Sufficiency
    15. The Virtue Of Remembering And Presence of Mind
    16. The Virtue Of Proper Political And Social Relations
    17. The Virtue Of Gratitude
    18. The Virtue Of A Sound Mind
    19. The Virtue Of A Sound Body


    8. Choice And Avoidance - Principles of Daily Decisionmaking

    1. There Is No Necessity To Live Under The Control of Necessity - Rejection of Determinism
    2. There Is No Fate Or Fortune
    3. Desire Is Not Inherently Painful Or Pleasurable
    4. Selecting Among Desires Using To The "Natural," "Necessary," And "Empty" Categories
    5. Weighing Pleasures And Pains
    6. Activity, Rest, And Procrastination

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