Pleasure and Morality: A Dialogue with Brillat-Savarin, Epicurus, and Mill on Eating in Human Life

Abstract

This article examines the relationship between food, pleasure, and morality from a philosophical perspective, advancing the hypothesis that eating constitutes an ethical and sensory domain essential to human well-being. The aim is to analyze how Brillat-Savarin’s “The Physiology of Taste”, Epicurean hedonism, and John Stuart Mill’s utilitarianism provide complementary theoretical frameworks for understanding the ethical dimension of gastronomic pleasure. Drawing on a qualitative methodology grounded in critical review and comparative analysis of classical sources, the study explores the role of moderation, moral responsibility, and aesthetic appreciation in dietary practices. The findings indicate that Brillat-Savarin frames gastronomy as both an art and a moral duty, Epicurus emphasizes stable and moderate pleasure as the path to happiness, and Mill differentiates between higher and lower pleasures, linking ethics to collective consequences. Together, these perspectives underscore the importance of integrating pleasure, social responsibility, and moderation to promote a balanced relationship with food that maximizes well-being and minimizes suffering at both individual and collective well-being. This analysis offers a comprehensive interpretative framework for considering food as a culturally and morally significant practice.