That which is an end in itself. The nature of this state preoccupied both ancient and Christian writers (see agathon), although Hobbes probably had the last word: ‘But for an utmost end, in which the ancient philosophers have placed felicity, and disputed much concerning the way thereto, there is no such thing in this world, nor way to it, more than to Utopia: for while we live, we have desires, and desire presupposeth a further end.’