Final Report Epicurus Part 2 of 4

Epicurus on Happiness, feelings, and sensations.

            Epicurus had very distinct ideologies regarding emotions. His philosophy is based on the theory that all good and bad derive from the sensations we define as pleasure and pain.  He believed that what is good is what is in someway pleasurable for someone. On the contrary, he believed that what is bad is painful. He judged moral interactions and decisions based on personal feelings towards a particular subject. He also stated that if a decision is made in favor of pain, in some cases it’s only because it leads to greater pleasure.

            In a famous Epicurus letter to Menoeceus, he explained a bit on further about his views of pleasure. He states, “Pleasure is our first and kindred good. It is the starting point of every choice and of every aversion, and to it we always come back, inasmuch as we make feeling the rule by which to judge of every good thing.”

He believes that humans make decisions and moral judgments based on two important factors:   

·      The fear of being punished by some sort of deity or deities.

·      The fear of death.

            For Epicurus, he believed that behavior in pursuit of pleasure assured an upright life. He is quoted saying  “It is impossible to live a pleasant life without living wisely and honorably and justly, and it is impossible to live wisely and honorably and justly without living pleasantly.” Sense his views on morality and pleasure overlapped, it was reasonable to him that acting justly (living for pleasure) was assuring a pleasant life.