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How did Epicurean ideas influence utilitarianism?
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Epicureanism
Epicurus, bronze bust from a Greek original, c. 280–270 bce; in the Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Naples.
Epicureanism significantly influenced the development of utilitarianism by establishing a hedonistic foundation that identifies the good with pleasure and the ultimate end with the absence of pain.12
This influence manifested through several key transitions in philosophical thought:
- Hedonistic Roots: Epicurus’s focus on pleasure as the primary criterion for value provided an early framework for later consequentialist theories, which judge actions based on their ability to maximize the balance of pleasure over pain.23
- Moral Arithmetic: The jurist Jeremy Bentham adapted Epicurean principles by reducing ethics to a quantitative calculation of utility, which he famously termed a "moral arithmetic".4
- Evolution of the Doctrine: While early Epicureanism was often characterized by egoistic hedonism, the utilitarianism of the 19th century—most notably represented by John Stuart Mill—further developed these ideas, moving toward a broader ethical framework that considered public well-being.4
Ultimately, while Epicureanism centered on the individual's pursuit of a quiet life, its core identification of pleasure as the supreme good served as a vital antecedent to the universalist goals of modern utilitarian thought.412