---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We begin every act of choice and…"
description: "\"We begin every act of choice and avoidance from pleasure, and it is to pleasure that we return using our experience of pleasure as the criterion of eve..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b12/epicurus-1642_avoidance_we-begin-every-act-of-choice-and-avoidan_2859609.jpg"
---

#  We begin every act of choice and avoidance from pleasure…

![“We begin every act of choice and avoidance from pleasure, and it is to pleasure that we return using our experience of pleasure as the criterion of every good thing.” quote by Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b12/epicurus-1642_avoidance_we-begin-every-act-of-choice-and-avoidan_2859609.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b12/epicurus-1642_avoidance_we-begin-every-act-of-choice-and-avoidan_2859609.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b12/epicurus-1642_avoidance_we-begin-every-act-of-choice-and-avoidan_2859609.jpg)

> “We begin every act of choice and avoidance from pleasure, and it is to pleasure that we return using our experience of pleasure as the criterion of every good thing.”

[Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Pleasure guides choices and judgments, serving as the benchmark for good.

**In simple terms:** Pleasure is the standard for decisions.

Key Takeaway

Seek pleasure wisely.

Themes

ethics hedonism decision making

Mood

reflective thoughtful

Type

philosophical ethical

When to use this quote

- personal choices
- moral philosophy
- daily decision making

Key Concepts

hedonistic calculus psychology of desire

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you balance immediate pleasure with future consequences?
- When might pleasure be a poor guide?

A Different Perspective

Pleasure may conflict with long‑term wellbeing.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Good things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-things/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/)

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