Position:Home>Philosophy> Is happiness an adequate basis for an ethical theory?

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In short, yes, and the philosophy is called Utilitarianism!. Jeremy Bentham developed the idea that that which is ethical is what is good for the greatest number!. The ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus taught the same thing!. Unfortunately people came to believe that he taught that hedonism was the basis of happiness!. What he meant about pleasure was the company of good friends!. He believed that this type of pleasure would bring about tranquility and freedom from fear!. In order to attain happiness, one had to have few desires and to be content with a simple life!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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depends upon the acquisition of a kind of universal knowledge: "man conceives a human nature much stronger than his own, and sees no reason why he cannot acquire such a nature!. Thus he is urged to seek the means that will bring him to such a perfection, and all that can be the means of his attaining this objective is called a true good,

while the supreme good is to arrive at the enjoyment of such a nature, together with other individuals, if possible!. What that nature is we shall show in its proper place; namely, the knowledge of the union which the mind has

Much of this echoes themes in ancient and medieval philosophy!. However, Spinoza gives his own distinctive twist to perfectionism!. This is most evident when he writes: "it must be borne in mind that good and bad are only relative terms, so that one and the same thing may be said to be good and bad in different respects,

just like the terms perfect and imperfect!. Nothing, when regarded in its own nature, can be called perfect or imperfect, especially when we realise that all things that come into being do so in accordance with an eternal order and Nature's fixed laws"

"Whatever we endeavor according to reason is nothing else but to understand; and the mind, in so far as it exercises reason, judges nothing else to be to its advantage except what conduces to understanding!."

Good night Princess xx


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happiness for whom!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

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