Correct Answer:
B. Epicurean
The phrase “Eat, Drink and Be Merry” is the ethical motto most closely associated with Epicureanism, an ancient Greek philosophy founded by Epicurus in the 4th century BCE. Epicurean philosophy teaches that the greatest good is to seek modest, sustainable pleasure and tranquility (ataraxia) while avoiding pain and fear. While often popularly misinterpreted as advocating for hedonistic excess, Epicurus himself promoted moderation, friendship, and intellectual pursuits as key to a happy life, believing true pleasure comes from a state of calm and freedom from disturbance. The motto captures the simplified, popular understanding of focusing on immediate, tangible enjoyments.
- Materialistic is too broad; while Epicureanism has materialistic aspects regarding the nature of reality, it doesn't define its ethical motto.
- Cynicism, in contrast, advocated for a life free from conventional desires and societal norms, rejecting pleasure and luxury, making it the antithesis of the given motto.
- Capitalism is an economic system, not an ethical philosophy, and therefore irrelevant to this question.