Question

1. What is hedonism? What are the two different versions of this position?

2. What is atomism?

3. What are the two types of pleasures on Epicurus’ view?

4. What does Epicurus mean when he says that “death is nothing to us?” How does he explain or justify this position?

   
   

Answer 1

1. The philosophy of pleasure is referred to as Hedonism. This school argues that the most important goals of human life are the pursuit of pleasure and intrinsic goods. It believes in doing what brings the greatest amount of pleasure regardless of any other effect. The two versions of this position are quantitative and qualitative hedonism.

2. Atomism is a theory devised by Leucippus and his student Democritus. It argues all the different objects in the universe are composed of very small, indivisible and indestructible building blocks, which are called atoms or in other words the simple indivisible minute particles.

3. The two types of pleasures are  'moving' pleasures and 'static' pleasures. The moving pleasure occurs when someone is in the process of achieving or satisfying a desire, whereas the state of satiety after one's desires have been satisfied, is referred to as static pleasure.

4. Epicurus argued that death should not be feared and a man should rid himself of the irrational fear of death, by saying "death is nothing to us". Through this saying, he wanted to convey that death involves neither pain and nor pleasure, and the only thing which is bad for us is something that involves pain and death is not painful so it is not bad for us, therefore, it means nothing to us.