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Full Idea
Things then are good and evil only in reference to pleasure and pain.
Gist of Idea
Things are good and evil only in reference to pleasure and pain
Source
John Locke (Essay Conc Human Understanding (2nd Ed) [1694], 2.20.02)
Book Ref
Locke,John: 'Essay Concerning Human Understanding', ed/tr. Nidditch,P.H. [OUP 1979], p.229
A Reaction
This is presumably the seeds of utilitarianism, and is evidently at the core of empiricism. In "Gorgias" Socrates explained why it is wrong.
| 130 | Is the happiest state one of sensual, self-indulgent freedom? [Plato] |
| 377 | If you lived a life of maximum pleasure, would you still be lacking anything? [Plato] |
| 378 | A life of pure pleasure with no intellect is the life of a jellyfish [Plato] |
| 388 | Hedonists must say that someone in pain is bad, even if they are virtuous [Plato] |
| 71 | Licentiousness concerns the animal-like pleasures of touch and taste [Aristotle] |
| 5954 | All inventions of the mind aim at pleasure, and those that don't are worthless [Metrodorus of Lamp., by Plutarch] |
| 5967 | People need nothing except corn and water [Chrysippus, by Plutarch] |
| 4019 | Things are good and evil only in reference to pleasure and pain [Locke] |
| 23033 | Hedonism offers no satisfaction, because what we desire is self-betterment [Green,TH, by Muirhead] |