What, in life, is the ultimate good that humans should strive for? Is it happiness? If so, what is happiness? Is happiness synonymous with pleasure, or does happiness refer to something else? The answers to these questions lie at the heart of a debate within Greek moral philosophy, where a particular school of thought—Hedonism—holds that the ultimate good is happiness, and that happiness is itself synonymous with pleasure. We will examine the doctrine of Hedonism, highlighting its key tenets and rationales. We will then isolate particular arguments against the doctrine, and see how Epicurus and other Epicurean philosophers defend it. An analysis of the Epicurean declaration that “death is nothing to us” will follow, with a critical look at
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He accepts the criteria that Aristotle formulates for happiness, but argues that it does not negate or preclude pleasure as the primary good. The pursuit of pleasure, Epicurus posits, is synonymous with the pursuit of happiness, as both pleasure and happiness constitute final ends, things sought after solely for their own sakes. Neither virtue nor rationality, he insists, share this quality; rather, they are instrumental in obtaining pleasure, which is both self-sufficient, in Epicurus’ view, and, as an object of desire, self-explanatory. To illustrate this, consider the fact that one rarely asks the question, “Why are you doing what you enjoy?” Epicurus argues that the answer (or lack thereof) is self-evident, and that this indicates that pleasure is the ultimate good. Moreover, Epicurus argues that all animals, not just humans, strive for happiness in the form of pleasure. Even children, when they are very young and not yet accustomed to particular cultural ethical standards, seek pleasure primarily. He states: “…We say pleasure is the origin and end of living blessedly. For we recognized this as our first and innate good, and from this we begin every choice and avoidance, and we arrive at this by judging every good by our feeling as a standard.” (Irwin, p. 272, box 412). Not only is pleasure the ultimate end, according to Epicurus, but its status as such makes human behavior
He accepts the criteria that Aristotle formulates for happiness, but argues that it does not negate or preclude pleasure as the primary good. The pursuit of pleasure, Epicurus posits, is synonymous with the pursuit of happiness, as both pleasure and happiness constitute final ends, things sought after solely for their own sakes. Neither virtue nor rationality, he insists, share this quality; rather, they are instrumental in obtaining pleasure, which is both self-sufficient, in Epicurus’ view, and, as an object of desire, self-explanatory. To illustrate this, consider the fact that one rarely asks the question, “Why are you doing what you enjoy?” Epicurus argues that the answer (or lack thereof) is self-evident, and that this indicates that pleasure is the ultimate good. Moreover, Epicurus argues that all animals, not just humans, strive for happiness in the form of pleasure. Even children, when they are very young and not yet accustomed to particular cultural ethical standards, seek pleasure primarily. He states: “…We say pleasure is the origin and end of living blessedly. For we recognized this as our first and innate good, and from this we begin every choice and avoidance, and we arrive at this by judging every good by our feeling as a standard.” (Irwin, p. 272, box 412). Not only is pleasure the ultimate end, according to Epicurus, but its status as such makes human behavior