Epicurus 341-270 BCE

The good life = happiness Happiness is only possible if e eli!ina"e fear and an#ie"y $ain source of fear % an#ie"y = supers"i"ion &ignorance' (o) *no ledge is "he *ey "o happiness Bu" no" *no ledge of an ideal +,ood+ -- *no ledge of "he orld &science' Happiness = a"ara#ia &sereni"y'

Hedonism
= df +-ny "heory "ha" holds "ha" pleasure is "he highes" good for hu!ans+ &as opposed "o) say) .ir"ue) or follo ing di.ine la s) e"c/' Epicurus is a hedonis"/ B0T1 ha" cons"i"u"es pleasure2 ---34T !erely physical5sensual pleasure Epicurus lis"s1 ---peace of !ind ---friendship ---si!ple pleasures of "he body &no" in"ense ones'

Superstitions destroy mental serenity

(o!e pains are ine.i"able &grief of loss) !issing lo.ed ones' (o!e pains are a.oidable 6e can a.oid "he pains arising fro! false beliefs) such as ---superna"ural beliefs &"he gods' ---beliefs abou" af"erlife Epicurus1 "here are no gods) and dea"h is no"hing 3a"ural causes e#plain all pheno!ena) and e can learn "hese na"ural causes by "urning "o science % philosophy

The Gods
7eali"y is 8us" a"o!s % "he .oid &9e!ocri"us' (pace is infini"e &as is "i!e' and all possible orlds e#is" or ha.e e#is"ed &possible orlds = possible arrange!en"s of a"o!s' $a""er canno" be !ade or des"royed (o) gods are no" needed "o e#plain origins of "he orld -nd !agic no" needed "o e#plain pheno!ena :f "he ,ods e#is") "hey are !a"erial "oo) and so obey "he sa!e na"ural la s e do

They canno" or* +!iracles+ :f "hey are really di.ine) "hey ould no" har! us) or 8udge us :n fac") "hey probably disin"eres"ed in us

Death
The soul is !a""er &or else ho could i" affec" !a""er2' The soul is !ade of a"o!s "oo) and li*e "he body dissipa"es a" dea"h) so "here is no"hing +af"er+ dea"h/ The soul ceases "o be/ Bu" pain and pleasure are sensa"ions) and hen e die sensa"ion !us" s"op) so being dead doesn;" hur" us -- i" is an end "o sensa"ion) hich is nei"her painful nor pleasan"

Happiness and pleasure

<leasure is "he only :3T7:3(:C good= pain "he only in"rinsic e.il Bu" so!e pleasures lead "o grea"er pain and are "herefore "o be a.oided >us" as so!e pains lead "o grea"er pleasure and are "o be sough" <hysical pleasure is flee"ing and so less preferable "han !en"al pleasures hich can las" indefini"ely 6e need "o learn "o dis"inguish las"ing and flee"ing pleasures and see* las"ing ones ---sereni"y ---friendship ---si!ple pleasures of life &!usic) ar") "hough"'

The causes of pleasure

?1 6ha" produces pleasure2 -1 @ulfilling desires/ ?1 6ha" causes pain2 -1 @rus"ra"ed desires/ (o) i" is i!por"an" "o learn hich desires can be fulfilled .s/ "hose hich can;" -nd hich desires !us" be fulfilled .s/ "hose e can do i"hou" 3a"ural desires .s/ :dle i!aginings 3a"ural desires are pro.ided by na"ure :dle i!aginings are pro.ided by socie"y 3a"ural desires include ---food) sleep) se#) ar!"h :dle i!aginings include ---lu#uries) fashion) s"a"us

(o!e desires are necessary &pain if unsa"isfied' (o!e are unnecessary &no pain if unsa"isfied' (o!e desires can be sa"isfied) bu" o"hers are unli!i"ed 0nli!i"ed desires should be a.oided --- eal"h) pres"ige) fa!e) e"c/ -- ne.er sa"isfied ---unli!i"ed desires are idle i!aginings Aey "o happiness "hen is adop" a si!ple life here your desires are fe las"ing ra"her "han flee"ing pleasures and for long-

Prudence
one i!por"an" .ir"ue1 res"rain desire) do no" o.erindulge

Friendship
6e canno" be happy alone/

The Good life

----.oid supers"i"ion ---unders"and na"ural science ---pursue na"ural and necessary pleasures ---a.oid .ain pleasures ---a.oid poli"ics and *eep "o a s!all co!!uni"y of friends 9o "hese and you ill en8oy las"ing pleasures and a.oid pain Problems ----"ara#ia = happiness2 :s !erely absence of pain sa!e "hing as pleasure2 ---$ay need "o seriously ree.alua"e our desires for fa!e) eal"h) s"a"us ---6ha" abou" "he pleasures of o"hers2 &8us" our friends2'

B<repare for re.ie 1 +CuiD+E