Thursday, June 4, 2009

Epicurus and evil

"No pleasure is evil in itself; but the means of obtaining some pleasures bring in their wake troubles many times greater than the pleasures."

"...suffering from pain or grief, which are evil."

- Epicurus

Epicurus appears to use the term "evil" lightly, synonymous with internal distress and also with "troubles" or perhaps "great troubles." These troubles appear to be external troubles, the disquieting hassles one brings into one's life by pursuing unnecessary things. This is contra the Stoics, who were very clear on this matter: nothing external is evil, or good. Good and evil exist exclusively in your heart, in the internals. "Evil" is your decision to do "evil," a product of your free will that runs contrary to the natural virtues.

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