By Epicurus, happiness is pleasure. It is a state of the soul that is free of disturbances and the state of the body that is free of pain. There is a final goal and it’s name is ATARAXIA / TRANQUILITY.

Epicurus argues that pleasure is natural. As soon as each animal is born, it seeks pleasure and rejoices in it as the highest good, and rejects pain as the greatest bad thing. No one rejects or dislikes or avoids pleasure itself just because it is pleasure. Thus, pleasure is good, first, natural.

There are two kinds of pleasure: kinetic and katastematic. Kinetic pleasure is pleasure felt while performing an activity, such as eating or drinking. You have it more or less. Katastematic pleasure is pleasure felt while being in a state of ATARAXIA. You can have it or not. This is the pleasure of not being disturbed, of being free from pain. Pleasure or pain appear only when there is disbalance of the body. You can have more or less pleasure, more or less pain. Both types of pleasure occur in the body and the soul. The absense of pain (katastematic pleasure) in the soul (ataraxia) is the highest good for Epicurus.

So, being in the state of the greatest pleasure is when all pains and disturbances are removed. You can function totally well, flourish as a human being. It can involve activities. You need to choose what kind of pleasure you wish to pursue, that is to make a rational choice. After that, you do necessary actions to achieve it. In other words, you can achieve ATARAXIA when leading a rational life.

Bibliography:

  • Cicero, De finibus bonorum et malorum (On Moral Ends)