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Greatest Happiness Quotes

Philosophy and wisdom on lasting fulfillment.

These greatest happiness quotes range from personal advice, happiness found in being 'vitally interested' in something, to the classic utilitarian standard of the greatest happiness for the greatest number. For more on that inner sense of purpose, see our Fulfillment quotes.

The action is best that secures the greatest happiness for the greatest number.

Quotes by William Dean Howells

The greatest happiness comes from being vitally interested in something that excites all your energies.

Quotes by Walter Annenberg

Our greatest happiness does not depend on the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but is always the result of a good conscience, good health, occupation, and freedom in all just pursuits.

Thomas Jefferson

The greatest happiness is to transform one's feelings into action.

Quotes by Madame de Stael

Emotion Quotes

The sum of the whole is plainly this: The nature of man considered in his single capacity, and with respect only to the present world, is adapted and leads him to attain the greatest happiness he can for himself in...

Quotes by Joseph Butler

The said truth is that it is the greatest happiness of the greatest number that is the measure of right and wrong.

Quotes by Jeremy Bentham

The greatest happiness of the greatest number is the foundation of morals and legislation.

Quotes by Jeremy Bentham

My greatest happiness is to serve my gracious King and Country and I am envious only of glory; for if it be a sin to covet glory I am the most offending soul alive.

Quotes by Horatio Nelson

The greatest happiness is to know the source of unhappiness.

Fyodor Dostoevsky

Fulfillment Quotes

That action is best which procures the greatest happiness for the greatest numbers.

Quotes by Francis Hutcheson

I find my greatest happiness in thinking of those days in Homestead when I labored to bring a thing to perfection entirely by myself. In the evenings, I would go into the hills and look down on my work, and...

Quotes by Charles M. Schwab

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes greatest happiness quotes different from ordinary happiness quotes?
Several quotes here draw on a specific philosophical tradition, utilitarianism's greatest happiness for the greatest number, rather than just describing personal contentment, giving the page a more substantive angle than typical happiness quotes.
Why do people search for greatest happiness quotes?
Some look for a philosophical framing of happiness for essays or discussions, while others want a personal, quotable line about what actually produces lasting satisfaction, like being genuinely interested in something.
What does the quote about good conscience, good health, and occupation argue?
It rejects the idea that happiness depends on circumstance, arguing instead that a clear conscience, health, purposeful work, and freedom in one's pursuits are what actually produce it, a more actionable claim than most happiness quotes offer.
Is the utilitarian idea of "greatest happiness" explained here?
Yes, one quote states it directly, judging an action's worth by how widely it spreads happiness across the greatest possible number of people, a foundational line from utilitarian philosophy rather than a casual aphorism.
Where can I find related quotes on fulfillment and meaning?
Browse our Fulfillment quotes for more on lasting satisfaction, or Meaning quotes for perspectives on purpose that go beyond happiness alone.

One quote ties greatest happiness to conscience, health, and occupation rather than circumstance, a theme worth pairing with our Joy and Meaning quotes for a fuller picture of lasting contentment.