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ethics

The Hedonic Calculus

συμμέτρησις τῶν ἡδονῶν

Not every pleasure is worth choosing, nor every pain worth fleeing: the prudent reckon long-term, sometimes swallowing pain to buy greater calm.

Epicurus taught that pleasure is the goal of life, but he was no reckless sensualist. Because some pleasures bring later pain and some pains lead to greater pleasure, he urged a sober weighing of every choice by its full consequences. By this measuring-together of pleasures against pains, the wise person sometimes accepts a present hardship to secure a lasting tranquility, and turns away from a tempting indulgence whose aftermath would cost too much.

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14 Greek sources

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