Epicurean Justice
Epicurean Justice
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The ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus and his followers advanced a sophisticated theory of justice that occupied a middle position between Plato and Aristotle, on the one hand, and some Sophists, on the other. They held that justice is neither fully natural nor fully conventional, that there is a robust virtue of justice, and that it is always better to be just than to be unjust, but it is not always better to obey the laws. In this book, the first English-language monograph on the topic, Jan Maximilian Robitzsch draws on a range of sources including papyrological evidence to give a comprehensive account of Epicurean justice. He shows how it relates to Epicurean philosophy as a whole and discusses to what extent it can be seen to anticipate modern positions such as contractarianism and legal positivism.
- Presents the Epicurean account of justice in the first English-language monograph on the topic
- Offers a comprehensive account of Epicurean justice, examining it from a variety of different perspectives
- Draws on a range of sources, including less-familiar passages and papyrological evidence
Reviews & endorsements
‘This book provides a detailed discussion of the Epicureans' various contributions to the philosophy of law and justice, highlighting the naturalist foundations of their account and relating this part of their system to their underlying views on epistemology, moral psychology, and value.' James Warren, Professor of Ancient Philosophy, University of Cambridge
‘This is an excellent study for advanced students of Epicurean philosophy and of the history of justice generally … Highly recommended. D. Konstan, CHOICE
‘[This book] is a short but solid piece of scholarship that brings together essential academic discussions of a fundamental Epicurean question on the origin and the characteristics of justice. … Advanced students and specialized scholars will benefit from this overall attempt to unify the Epicurean theory of justice.’ Jesús Muñoz Morcillo, Bryn Mawr Classical Review
Product details
August 2025Paperback
9781009429443
209 pages
229 × 152 mm
Not yet published - available from July 2025
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- 1. The Origin of Justice
- 2. Contractual Justice
- 3. Aretaic Justice
- 4. Moral Psychology
- 5. Justice and Law
- 6. Ethical Naturalism
- 7. Conclusion
- Appendix 1-Oikeōsis
- Appendix 2-Cicero, The Epicureans, and the ring of Gyges
- Bibliography
- Index of Passages
- General Index.
