Are the Principles of Ethics Cognitions or Feelings?

I. Even in ancient times voices could be heard in favour of feelings. Indeed, if Hume is to be believed, they were the majority, but he was of this persuasion himself and his judgment may well have been influenced by his predilection for it. In any case it is a fact that Epicurus and his followers viewed feelings of pleasure and pain as the standard for decisions about what is good and bad.