Epicurus & Nozick Readings

Ultimate Good

The concept that the life according to reason is superior and divine compared to human life, emphasizing the pursuit of living in accordance with the best part of oneself.

Pursuit of Pleasure

Epicurus' belief that studying philosophy throughout life leads to happiness, advocating for the understanding that death is nothing to fear and that pleasure is the beginning and end of a blessed life.

Stoic View of Life

Epictetus' Stoic philosophy focusing on accepting events as they happen, understanding impediments as external, and using faculties like endurance and patience to deal with challenges.

Independence of Desire

Epicurean principle valuing the enjoyment of simple pleasures over luxury, emphasizing that pleasure is the absence of pain in the body and mind.

State-of-Nature Theory

A philosophical concept questioning the consequences of actions like murder in terms of total utility and distribution of happiness, challenging the adequacy of utilitarianism and raising ethical considerations.

Animal Ethics

Involves questioning how much respect an animal's life deserves, the consideration of nondegraded existence, and ethical dilemmas like breeding contented natural slaves.

Experience Machine

Hypothetical device offering desired experiences by stimulating the brain, raising questions about plugging in for a life of preprogrammed experiences and the importance of other aspects beyond personal experiences.

Transformation Machine

Imaginary device transforming individuals into desired personas, highlighting the desire to be a certain way and the complexity of human identity beyond mere experiences.

Status I and Status II

Moral statuses in an elitist hierarchical view, where beings in Status I may not be harmed for others' sake, while beings in Status II may be harmed for higher beings but not at the same level, raising questions about moral treatment distinctions between beings.