Date of Award
7-15-2009
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Philosophy
First Advisor
Dr. Timothy O'Keefe - Chair
Second Advisor
Dr. Andrew I. Cohen
Third Advisor
Dr. Sandra Dwyer
Fourth Advisor
Dr. Andrew Altman
Abstract
Although the Epicurean ethical system is fundamentally egoistic and hedonistic, it attributes a surprisingly significant role to friendship. Even so, I argue that traditional discussions of Epicurean friendship fail to adequately account for the value (or pleasure) of individual friends. In this thesis I present an amended notion of Epicurean friendship that better accounts for all of the pleasure friends afford. However, the success of my project requires rejecting an Epicurean ethical principle. Because of this, I explore textual evidence both in favor and against the amended notion I propose and the problematic ethical principle. After arguing against the problematic ethical principle and dispelling additional objections to my project, I conclude that Epicureans should endorse the amended notion of friendship I have developed.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.57709/1059792
Recommended Citation
Strahm, Melissa Marie, "Epicurean Friendship: How are Friends Pleasurable?." Thesis, Georgia State University, 2009.
doi: https://doi.org/10.57709/1059792