Abstract

According to Kant Epicurean ethics is a “self-love” ethics, or “an ethics in pursuit of one’s own happiness.” He contends that such a conception of ethics cannot produce any morality in an objective sense. Epicurus contends that ataraxia, a state in which all bodily and mental disturbances are remedied is the ultimate goal of life. In this paper, I will try to show how by beginning the concept of pleasure Epicurus tries to erect a system of ethics which is based on equality and justice. We will see that in this ethical system the attainment of happiness for an individual is necessarily bound with the happiness of the other individuals. And the attainment of pleasure or happiness is conditioned by virtue. In this regard, it would not be wrong to draw the conclusion that the ethical goal of Epicurus turns out to be ataraxia for all which thus refutes the Kant’s depiction of Epicurean ethics as self-love ethics.