Epicurus

Epicurus was an ancient Greek philosopher born on the island of Samos in 341 BCE. He is best known as the founder of Epicureanism, a philosophical system that emphasizes the pursuit of pleasure, defined as the absence of pain and disturbance, as the highest good. Educated in Athens, Epicurus was influenced by Democritus and the Cynics but developed his own distinctive philosophical outlook. He taught that the purpose of philosophy should be to attain a happy, tranquil life, characterized by ataraxia—peace and freedom from fear—and aponia—the absence of pain—and lived modestly. Epicurus believed that pleasure is the principle and end to a blessed life. He identified two main types of pleasure: kinetic pleasures, associated with bodily sensations, and katastematic pleasures, consisting of the absence of physical pain and mental distress. Epicureanism emphasizes the importance of practicing prudence, understanding the nature of desires, and choosing paths that lead to sustainable pleasures while avoiding those that lead to pain. Epicurus argued that the highest pleasures come from intellectual contemplation and fostering a healthy social environment, including friendship as one of the essential values for a fulfilling life. Epicurus was also a materialist; he adopted the atomistic theory of Democritus, proposing that the universe consists of atoms and void. He postulated that gods exist but argued that they are not concerned with human affairs, allowing him to provide a naturalistic account of the world without fear of divine intervention. He set up a school in Athens, called The Garden, which was notable for being open to women and slaves. Epicurus himself was a prolific writer, but much of his work is lost, with only a few letters and maxims surviving. His philosophy on nature, happiness, and the meaning of life deeply influenced later thinkers and continues to be studied to this day.