--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: PLEASURE and pain are undoubtedly the…" description: "\"PLEASURE and pain are undoubtedly the ultimate objects of the calculus of economics. To satisfy our wants to the utmost with the least effort - to proc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e6/william-stanley-jevons-10797_amount_pleasure-and-pain-are-undoubtedly-the-ul_1447772.jpg" --- # PLEASURE and pain are undoubtedly the ultimate objects of… ![“PLEASURE and pain are undoubtedly the ultimate objects of the calculus of economics. To satisfy our wants to the utmost with the least effort - to procure the greatest amount of what is desirable at the expense of the least that is undesirable - in other words, to maximize pleasure, is the problem…” quote by William Stanley Jevons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e6/william-stanley-jevons-10797_amount_pleasure-and-pain-are-undoubtedly-the-ul_1447772.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e6/william-stanley-jevons-10797_amount_pleasure-and-pain-are-undoubtedly-the-ul_1447772.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e6/william-stanley-jevons-10797_amount_pleasure-and-pain-are-undoubtedly-the-ul_1447772.jpg) > “PLEASURE and pain are undoubtedly the ultimate objects of the calculus of economics. To satisfy our wants to the utmost with the least effort - to procure the greatest amount of what is desirable at the expense of the least that is undesirable - in other words, to maximize pleasure, is the problem of economics.” [William Stanley Jevons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stanley-jevons/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Economics seeks to allocate resources to maximize pleasure and minimize pain, treating desires as measurable utilities. **In simple terms:** Economics aims to get the most good with the least cost. Key Takeaway Focus on efficient satisfaction of needs. Themes economics utility efficiency pleasure-pain resource allocation Mood analytical critical neutral Type philosophical economic When to use this quote - budget planning - product pricing - consumer choice - policy design Key Concepts Utility theory cost-benefit analysis marginalism Questions to Reflect On - How do we measure pleasure objectively? - Can all desires be reduced to economic terms? A Different Perspective Assumes preferences are quantifiable and comparable, which may oversimplify human values. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Calculus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calculus/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Pain and pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain-and-pleasure/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Pleasure And Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure-and-pain/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) ## Related quotes > [The doctrine of population has been conspicuously absent, not because I doubt in the least its truth and vast importance, but because it forms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-malthus/the-doctrine-of-population-has-been-conspicuously-absent-not-because/) [Thomas Malthus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-malthus/) > [“Bentham maintained that what mattered about an action was how much pleasure it produced and how much pain was avoided. He enjoined us always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-edmonds/bentham-maintained-that-what-mattered-about-an-action-was-how-much/) [David Edmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-edmonds/) > [“if you’re going to drink a cup of tea, why not take every care to maximize the pleasure?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/if-you-re-going-to-drink-a-cup-of-tea-why-not-take-every-care-to/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [Art and science coincide insofar as both aim to improve the lives of men and women. The latter normally concerns itself with profit, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertolt-brecht/art-and-science-coincide-insofar-as-both-aim-to-improve-the-lives-of/) [Bertolt Brecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertolt-brecht/) > [We were all illegal at one point and we were all unwanted at one point. Somebody in our family, if not us, was undesirable,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-were-all-illegal-at-one-point-and-we-were-all-unwanted-at-one/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“In everything, no matter what it may be, uniformity is undesirable. Leaving something incomplete makes it interesting, and gives one the feeling that there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshida-kenk/in-everything-no-matter-what-it-may-be-uniformity-is-undesirable/) [Yoshida Kenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshida-kenk/) > [English is big business and languages are dying as never before. Is there a connection? Is this another manifestation of McDonaldisation – the undesirable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-ryan/english-is-big-business-and-languages-are-dying-as-never-before-is/) [Patricia Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-ryan/) > [We do not believe in quotas. They would not only be undesirable, they would be illegal. There is legal protection for the autonomy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-willetts/we-do-not-believe-in-quotas-they-would-not-only-be-undesirable-they/) [David Willetts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-willetts/) > [Generous unemployment benefits can increase both structural and frictional unemployment. So government policies intended to help workers can have the undesirable side effect of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/generous-unemployment-benefits-can-increase-both-structural-and/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [I regard the effort to introduce women into colleges for young men as very undesirable, and for many reasons. That the two sexes should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catharine-beecher/i-regard-the-effort-to-introduce-women-into-colleges-for-young-men-as/) [Catharine Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catharine-beecher/) > [“Shifting attention away from an undesirable issue is an ideal practice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-redhead/shifting-attention-away-from-an-undesirable-issue-is-an-ideal-practice/) [Steven Redhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-redhead/) > [well, young man," the judge began, what it biols down to this if the court so desires and if you belive that your home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-pelzer/well-young-man-the-judge-began-what-it-biols-down-to-this-if-the/) [Dave Pelzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-pelzer/) > [“We’re not broken. We’re not in the wrong bodies. We’re not inadequate. We’re not lesser. We’re not unwanted. We’re not fraudulent. We’re not undesirable.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnostic-zetetic/we-re-not-broken-we-re-not-in-the-wrong-bodies-we-re-not-inadequate/) Agnostic Zetetic > [Once you understand the power of stimulus control, you can use it to your advantage by changing the stimuli in your environment and avoiding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/once-you-understand-the-power-of-stimulus-control-you-can-use-it-to/) [Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/) > [We have a fear of facing ourselves. That is the obstacle. Experiencing the innermost core of our existence is very embarrassing to a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-have-a-fear-of-facing-ourselves-that-is-the-obstacle-experiencing/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) ## More by William Stanley Jevons > [All classes of society are trade unionists at heart, and differ chiefly in the boldness, ability, and secrecy with which they pursue their respective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stanley-jevons/all-classes-of-society-are-trade-unionists-at-heart-and-differ/) [William Stanley Jevons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stanley-jevons/) > [What capital I give for the spade merely replaces what the manufacturer had already invested in the expectation that the spade would be needed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stanley-jevons/what-capital-i-give-for-the-spade-merely-replaces-what-the/) [William Stanley Jevons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stanley-jevons/) > [“The more refined and intellectual our needs become, the less they are capable of satiety.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stanley-jevons/the-more-refined-and-intellectual-our-needs-become-the-less-they-are/) [William Stanley Jevons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stanley-jevons/) > [The wind, as a direct motive power, is wholly inapplicable to a system of machine labour, for during a calm season the whole business…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stanley-jevons/the-wind-as-a-direct-motive-power-is-wholly-inapplicable-to-a-system/) [William Stanley Jevons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stanley-jevons/) > [Economists can never be free of from difficulties unless they will distinguish between a theory and the application of a theory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stanley-jevons/economists-can-never-be-free-of-from-difficulties-unless-they-will/) [William Stanley Jevons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stanley-jevons/) > [It isrequisite from time to time to remind one generation of the experience which led a former generation to important legislative actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stanley-jevons/it-isrequisite-from-time-to-time-to-remind-one-generation-of-the/) [William Stanley Jevons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stanley-jevons/) > [Ina regular and constant employment the greatest result will always be gained by such a rate as allows a workman each day,or each week…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stanley-jevons/ina-regular-and-constant-employment-the-greatest-result-will-always/) [William Stanley Jevons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stanley-jevons/) > [By a commodity we shall understand any object, substance, action or service, which can afford pleasure or ward off pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stanley-jevons/by-a-commodity-we-shall-understand-any-object-substance-action-or/) [William Stanley Jevons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stanley-jevons/) > [A little experience is worth much argument; a few facts are better than any theory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stanley-jevons/a-little-experience-is-worth-much-argument-a-few-facts-are-better/) [William Stanley Jevons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stanley-jevons/) > [As there are so many who talk prose without knowing it, or, again, who syllogize without having the least idea what a syllogism is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stanley-jevons/as-there-are-so-many-who-talk-prose-without-knowing-it-or-again-who/) [William Stanley Jevons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stanley-jevons/) > [In any case I hold that there must arise a science of the development of economic forms and relations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stanley-jevons/in-any-case-i-hold-that-there-must-arise-a-science-of-the-development/) [William Stanley Jevons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stanley-jevons/) > [The point of equilibrium will be known by the criterion that an infinitely small amount of commodity exchanged in addition, at the same rate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stanley-jevons/the-point-of-equilibrium-will-be-known-by-the-criterion-that-an/) [William Stanley Jevons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stanley-jevons/) > [It is clear that Economics, if it is to be a science at all, must be a mathematical science ... simply because it deals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stanley-jevons/it-is-clear-that-economics-if-it-is-to-be-a-science-at-all-must-be-a/) [William Stanley Jevons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stanley-jevons/) > [I am convinced that it is impossible to expound the methods of induction in a sound manner, without resting them upon the theory of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stanley-jevons/i-am-convinced-that-it-is-impossible-to-expound-the-methods-of/) [William Stanley Jevons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stanley-jevons/) > [When quite young I can remember I had no thought or wish of surpassing others. I was rather taken with a liking of little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stanley-jevons/when-quite-young-i-can-remember-i-had-no-thought-or-wish-of/) [William Stanley Jevons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stanley-jevons/) [Explore all 63 William Stanley Jevons quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stanley-jevons/) ## More Amount quotes > [Dating someone on the opposite end of the happy spectrum teaches you an incredible amount of patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pine/dating-someone-on-the-opposite-end-of-the-happy-spectrum-teaches-you/) [Chris Pine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pine/) > [When the amount of change externally exceeds the amount of change internally, the end is in sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-welch/when-the-amount-of-change-externally-exceeds-the-amount-of-change/) [Jack Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-welch/) > [A human being can only absorb a small amount of the mystical kundalini, you can be exposed again and again to it, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/a-human-being-can-only-absorb-a-small-amount-of-the-mystical/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [It's a great story for us whenever an entrepreneur makes a crazy amount of money and we get to tell the world about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lacy/it-s-a-great-story-for-us-whenever-an-entrepreneur-makes-a-crazy/) [Sarah Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lacy/) > [It's a challenge to work a character's arc into a format in which you only have a very limited amount of time to grow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginnifer-goodwin/it-s-a-challenge-to-work-a-character-s-arc-into-a-format-in-which-you/) [Ginnifer Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginnifer-goodwin/) > [The amount of things you can do with a kettlebell is unsurpassed by any other training equipment - dumbbells, resistance machines, free weights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/the-amount-of-things-you-can-do-with-a-kettlebell-is-unsurpassed-by/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [The amount you give isn't important. What matters is what that amount represents in terms of your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/the-amount-you-give-isn-t-important-what-matters-is-what-that-amount/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [There's a place in Botswana where there are 100,000 elephants living in a single population. Think of the amount of space they need. Remember,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-bergin/there-s-a-place-in-botswana-where-there-are-100-000-elephants-living/) [Patrick Bergin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-bergin/) > [How could you justify giving Holland twice the amount of money that you gave Belgium? Well, finally, I put it up to them. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-averell-harriman/how-could-you-justify-giving-holland-twice-the-amount-of-money-that/) [W. Averell Harriman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-averell-harriman/) > [I am not a great believer in dialectical struggle. I am much more of a fusion person. I see it as a dialogue, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-warner/i-am-not-a-great-believer-in-dialectical-struggle-i-am-much-more-of-a/) [Marina Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-warner/) > [The risk of developing carcinoma of the lung increases steadily as the amount smoked increases. If the risk among non-smokers is taken as unity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-doll/the-risk-of-developing-carcinoma-of-the-lung-increases-steadily-as/) Richard Doll > [Both fact and logic seem to me to support the view that savings invested in privately owned economic tools of production amount to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-a-harper/both-fact-and-logic-seem-to-me-to-support-the-view-that-savings/) F. A. Harper > [You have a little bit of talent, a certain amount of good fortune and a lot of hard work in pursuit of whatever truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-sutherland/you-have-a-little-bit-of-talent-a-certain-amount-of-good-fortune-and/) [Donald Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-sutherland/) > [I have a tremendous amount of respect for military families. To have to worry about your loved ones and still try and live a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashanti/i-have-a-tremendous-amount-of-respect-for-military-families-to-have/) [Ashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashanti/) > [In sports teams, apart from talk of sporting prowess and the imparting of inspirational thought, an extraordinary amount of time is spent discussing, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harsha-bhogle/in-sports-teams-apart-from-talk-of-sporting-prowess-and-the-imparting/) [Harsha Bhogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harsha-bhogle/) Browse all 4,202 Amount quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "PLEASURE and pain are undoubtedly the ultimate objects of the calculus of economics. To satisfy our wants to the utmost with the least effort - to procure the greatest amount of what is desirable at the expense of the least that is undesirable - in other words, to maximize pleasure, is the problem of economics.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Stanley Jevons" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stanley-jevons/pleasure-and-pain-are-undoubtedly-the-ultimate-objects-of-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Amount" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stanley-jevons/pleasure-and-pain-are-undoubtedly-the-ultimate-objects-of-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e6/william-stanley-jevons-10797_amount_pleasure-and-pain-are-undoubtedly-the-ul_1447772.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e6/william-stanley-jevons-10797_amount_pleasure-and-pain-are-undoubtedly-the-ul_1447772.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e6/william-stanley-jevons-10797_amount_pleasure-and-pain-are-undoubtedly-the-ul_1447772.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“PLEASURE and pain are undoubtedly the ultimate objects of the calculus of economics. To satisfy our wants to…” — William Stanley Jevons", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "William Stanley Jevons", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stanley-jevons/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "PLEASURE and pain are undoubtedly the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stanley-jevons/pleasure-and-pain-are-undoubtedly-the-ultimate-objects-of-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stanley-jevons/pleasure-and-pain-are-undoubtedly-the-ultimate-objects-of-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```