Epicurean Justice

Nature, Agreement, and Virtue

Jan Maximilian Robitzsch (Universität Greifswald)

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English

Cambridge University Press
14 August 2025

Western philosophy: Ancient, to c 500; Philosophy: epistemology & theory of knowledge; Ethics & moral philosophy; History of ideas; Jurisprudence & philosophy of law

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.

By: Jan Maximilian Robitzsch (Universität Greifswald)
Imprint: Cambridge University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
ISBN: 9781009429443
ISBN 10: 1009429442
Pages: 209
Publication Date: 14 August 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

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.

Jan Maximilian Robitzsch is a senior researcher in the Department of Philosophy, University of Greifswald. He is the coeditor of Speeches for the Dead: Essays on Plato's Menexenus (2018) and the author of a number of articles in journals including Ancient Philosophy, Apeiron, and Classical Quarterly.

Reviews for Epicurean Justice: Nature, Agreement, and Virtue

'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 'Epicurean Justice 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.' Bryn Mawr Classical Review