Epicurus, on the other hand, supports the idea that pleasure is good and pain is bad. Merlan, studies in epicurus and aristotle wiesbaden, 1960, p. Considered all men as friends, potential friends, or else people with whom to have nothing to do. For epicurus, pleasure is the final end of life and the crite rion of goodness in. A defence article pdf available in proceedings of the aristotelian society hardback 1183. To clarify epicurus view on the status of restorative pleasures, i will first lay out aristotles position and remark. Necessary desires are those which are necessary to produce happiness, such as desiring to get rid of bodily pain, or desiring a state of inner tranquility. Epicurus agrees with aristotle that happiness is an endinitself and the highest good of human living. In his nicomachean ethics, the philosopher aristotle tries to discover what is the supreme good for man, that is, what is the best way to lead our. Epicuruss conception of the good life is hedonistic. Aristotle uses the word eudaimonia to describe the fulfilled life. Pdf epicurus on pleasure, happiness, and desire phillip mitsis. He studied in athens and after digesting the philosophies of plato, aristotle. Two enduring theories of the good come from aristotle and epicurus.
Contribution of western philosophers epicurus, aristotle. Although epicurus theory of happiness is based on pleasure. He viewed virtue as a habitual state and disposition of the soul. Epicurus happiness advice does not cater for exhilarating aspects of a business mans life that involves risks and losses but also makes one live to the full and be happy on balance. Pdf epicurus was a philosopher who lived in greece in the 3rd century.
Happiness is possible in a state in which there is absence of pain in the body and absence of trouble in the soul bloyce, 2012. Pdf happiness in the garden of epicurus researchgate. In nicomachean ethics, aristotle outlines the notions of virtue, happiness. For aristotle the best life is the fulfilled life and is found in those who practice virtuous deeds. Morality, for epicurus, is what is conducive to the telos of the humankind. Epicurus, the founder of the epicurean school of thought, argues that the. Epicurus makes an important distinction between necessary and unnecessary desires. He believed happiness would come if people did not fear death. While we have lost most of the treatises of epicurus on ethics and happiness, his. Pdf epicurus on pleasure, a complete life, and death. However, he identifies happiness with the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain.
Aristotle wrote more than one treatise on happiness, and he gave different. Philosophies of happiness chapter 2 epicurus columbia. Diogenes may be responding not only to the conviction of plato and aristotle that virtue is intrinsic to happiness, but to the further stoic conviction that virtue alone. Contrasts between epicurus and aristotle newepicurean. Aristotle believed in god, while epicurus believed that there might well be gods on mount olympus, but they didnt involve themselves in the lives of mere human beings. The foundations of knowledge in aristotle and epicurus. Life and the pursuit of happiness journal of philosophy of life. Doc a comparison of epicurus and aristotles happiness.
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