🙇🏽‍♀️History of Ancient Philosophy Unit 11 – Epicureanism: Seeking Pleasure and Happiness

Who Was Epicurus?

• Greek philosopher who lived from 341 to 270 BCE
• Founded the school of philosophy known as Epicureanism
• Established a philosophical community called "The Garden" in Athens
• Taught that the purpose of philosophy was to attain a happy, tranquil life
• Emphasized the importance of friendship and living a simple life
• Believed in the atomic theory of matter and rejected divine intervention
• Wrote over 300 works, but only a few fragments and letters survive

Key Ideas of Epicureanism

• The ultimate goal of life is to achieve happiness and avoid pain
• Pleasure is the highest good, but it should be pursued moderately
• Distinguishes between natural and necessary desires and those that are vain and empty
• Advocates living a simple life, free from fear and anxiety
• Emphasizes the importance of friendship and living in a community of like-minded individuals
• Rejects the idea of an afterlife and the influence of gods on human affairs
• Believes that the universe is composed of atoms and void, and that everything happens by chance

The Pursuit of Pleasure

• Epicureanism defines pleasure as the absence of pain and disturbance
• Distinguishes between dynamic pleasures (e.g., eating when hungry) and static pleasures (e.g., being free from hunger)
• Advocates pursuing natural and necessary desires, such as food, shelter, and friendship
• Warns against pursuing vain and empty desires, such as wealth, fame, and power
  • These desires are difficult to satisfy and can lead to anxiety and disappointment
• Emphasizes the importance of moderation in the pursuit of pleasure
  • Overindulgence can lead to pain and discomfort
• Believes that mental pleasures are more important than physical pleasures
  • A life of philosophical contemplation is seen as the highest form of pleasure

Atomic Theory and Physics

• Epicurus adopted and modified the atomic theory of Democritus
• Believed that the universe is composed of atoms and void
  • Atoms are indivisible, eternal, and have various shapes and sizes
  • Void is the empty space in which atoms move
• Argued that atoms move randomly and collide with each other, forming larger structures
• Rejected the idea of divine intervention in the natural world
• Believed that the soul is composed of atoms and disperses after death
• Used the atomic theory to explain natural phenomena, such as thunder and lightning
• Emphasized the importance of empirical observation in understanding the natural world

Ethics and Happiness

• Epicureanism is a form of ethical hedonism, which holds that pleasure is the highest good
• Distinguishes between natural and necessary desires and those that are vain and empty
  • Natural and necessary desires include food, shelter, and friendship
  • Vain and empty desires include wealth, fame, and power
• Advocates living a simple life, free from fear and anxiety
• Emphasizes the importance of friendship and living in a community of like-minded individuals
• Believes that justice is a social contract that helps to ensure mutual security and happiness
• Argues that the wise person will pursue moderate pleasures and avoid excesses
• Teaches that the absence of pain and disturbance is the highest form of happiness

Epicurean Views on Death and the Gods

• Epicurus rejected the idea of an afterlife and the influence of gods on human affairs
• Argued that death is the end of sensation and should not be feared
  • "Death is nothing to us, since when we are, death has not come, and when death has come, we are not"
• Believed that the gods exist but do not intervene in human affairs
  • The gods live in a state of perfect happiness and tranquility, unbothered by the concerns of mortals
• Criticized religious superstition and the fear of divine punishment
• Encouraged followers to live a life of virtue and moderation, without fear of death or the gods
• Believed that the wise person will not be disturbed by the prospect of death and will live a happy life

Influence on Later Philosophy

• Epicureanism was one of the major philosophical schools in the Hellenistic period
• Influenced the development of atomism and materialism in later philosophical and scientific thought
• Lucretius, a Roman poet and philosopher, popularized Epicurean ideas in his work "De Rerum Natura"
• Epicurean ethics influenced the development of utilitarianism in the works of Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill
• Epicurean ideas about the pursuit of happiness and the importance of friendship have had a lasting impact on Western thought
• The Epicurean emphasis on empirical observation and the rejection of divine intervention influenced the development of modern scientific thought
• Epicurean ideas about the social contract and the importance of mutual security influenced the development of political philosophy

Criticisms and Controversies

• Epicureanism was often criticized by other philosophical schools, such as the Stoics and the Platonists
• Critics argued that the pursuit of pleasure was a base and unworthy goal for human life
  • They believed that virtue, rather than pleasure, should be the highest good
• Some critics accused Epicureans of promoting a life of indulgence and excess
  • However, Epicurus himself advocated for moderation and the pursuit of simple pleasures
• The Epicurean rejection of divine intervention and the idea of an afterlife was controversial in ancient Greek and Roman society
  • Many people believed in the importance of religious rituals and the influence of the gods on human affairs
• The Epicurean emphasis on the importance of friendship and community was sometimes seen as a threat to traditional social hierarchies
  • Critics argued that it could undermine the authority of the state and the family
• Some modern scholars have criticized Epicureanism for its lack of a clear ethical framework
  • They argue that the pursuit of pleasure alone is not a sufficient basis for moral decision-making