Katastematic and Kinetic Pleasure

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  • A distinction reported by Diogenes Laertius between "stable-state" pleasures, such as freedom from pain and disturbance, and pleasures "in motion," such as joy and delight. Epicurus recognized both as pleasure. The modern claim that only katastematic pleasure counts, or that it is the highest pleasure, is not supported by the ancient texts and turns Epicurus' philosophy of pleasure into one of mere tranquility. See The Term "Pleasure" Is The Exact Equivalent Of "Absence of Pain" and Other Controversies.

    Greek καταστηματικὴ ἡδονή (katastēmatikē hēdonē) and pleasure κατὰ κίνησιν (kata kinēsin), "in motion"

    A distinction reported by Diogenes Laertius between "stable-state" pleasures, such as freedom from pain and disturbance, and pleasures "in motion," such as joy and delight. Epicurus recognized both as pleasure. The modern claim that only katastematic pleasure counts, or that it is the highest pleasure, is not supported by the ancient texts and turns Epicurus' philosophy of pleasure into one of mere tranquility. See The Term "Pleasure" Is The Exact Equivalent Of "Absence of Pain" and Other Controversies.

    1. Key Texts

    Quote from Diogenes Laertius 10.137 (Epicurus on Both Types of Pleasure)

    Epicurus disagrees with the Cyrenaics on pleasure: they do not admit static pleasure but only the kinetic type, whereas he accepts both types, for soul and for body. In On Choices he speaks as follows: 'Freedom from disturbance and absence of pain are static pleasures; but joy and delight are regarded as kinetic activities.' He has a further disagreement with the Cyrenaics: they take bodily pains to be worse than mental ones, but he takes the mental ones to be worse, since the flesh is storm-tossed only in the present, but the soul in past, present and future. (Bailey)

    2. See Also

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