3/13/2023 0 Comments Diogenes middle fingerHis teachings gradually became more widely known in the fifteenth century with the rediscovery of important texts, but his ideas did not become acceptable until the seventeenth century, when the French Catholic priest Pierre Gassendi revived a modified version of them, which was promoted by other writers, including Walter Charleton and Robert Boyle. Throughout the Middle Ages Epicurus was popularly, though inaccurately, remembered as a patron of drunkards, whoremongers, and gluttons. It died out in late antiquity, subject to hostility from early Christianity. Epicureanism reached the height of its popularity during the late years of the Roman Republic. Though popular, Epicurean teachings were controversial from the beginning. Epicurus deviated from Democritus by proposing the idea of atomic "swerve", which holds that atoms may deviate from their expected course, thus permitting humans to possess free will in an otherwise deterministic universe. All occurrences in the natural world are ultimately the result of atoms moving and interacting in empty space. ![]() Like Democritus, Epicurus taught that the universe is infinite and eternal and that all matter is made up of extremely tiny, invisible particles known as atoms. He derived much of his physics and cosmology from the earlier philosopher Democritus ( c. He taught that people should behave ethically not because the gods punish or reward people for their actions, but because amoral behavior will burden them with guilt and prevent them from attaining ataraxia.Įpicurus was an empiricist, meaning he believed that the senses are the only reliable source of knowledge about the world. Epicurus taught that although the gods exist, they have no involvement in human affairs. According to Epicurus, death is the end of both the body and the soul and therefore should not be feared. He taught that the root of all human neurosis is death denial and the tendency for human beings to assume that death will be horrific and painful, which he claimed causes unnecessary anxiety, selfish self-protective behaviors, and hypocrisy. He advocated that people were best able to pursue philosophy by living a self-sufficient life surrounded by friends. Most knowledge of his teachings comes from later authors, particularly the biographer Diogenes Laërtius, the Epicurean Roman poet Lucretius and the Epicurean philosopher Philodemus, and with hostile but largely accurate accounts by the Pyrrhonist philosopher Sextus Empiricus, and the Academic Skeptic and statesman Cicero.įor Epicurus, the purpose of philosophy was to help people attain a happy ( eudaimonic), tranquil life characterized by ataraxia (peace and freedom from fear) and aponia (the absence of pain). Only three letters written by him-the letters to Menoeceus, Pythocles, and Herodotus-and two collections of quotes-the Principal Doctrines and the Vatican Sayings-have survived intact, along with a few fragments of his other writings. Epicurus is said to have originally written over 300 works on various subjects, but the vast majority of these writings have been lost. ![]() He openly allowed women and slaves to join the school as a matter of policy. ![]() ![]() Epicurus and his followers were known for eating simple meals and discussing a wide range of philosophical subjects. Influenced by Democritus, Aristippus, Pyrrho, and possibly the Cynics, he turned against the Platonism of his day and established his own school, known as "the Garden", in Athens. He was born on the Greek island of Samos to Athenian parents. Seneca the Younger, Hermarchus, Diogenes of Oenoanda, Lucretius, Friedrich Nietzsche, Jeremy Bentham, John Stuart Mill, Baruch Spinoza, Thomas Hobbes, Thomas Jefferson, Karl Marx, Isaac Newton, Voltaire, Metrodorus, David Hume, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Philodemus, GassendiĮpicurus ( / ˌ ɛ p ɪ ˈ k j ʊər ə s/ Greek: Ἐπίκουρος Epikouros 341–270 BC) was an ancient Greek philosopher and sage who founded Epicureanism, a highly influential school of philosophy.
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