Epicurus
Epicurus
Epicurus believed in a simple set of rules to live life: pleasure is good, and pain is bad. In essence he advocated hedonism, but a different form of hedonism from what is thought of today. Having grown up during the Peloponnesian War, Epicurus saw the atrocities first hand and noted the fragility of life. From this he learned that humans must make the most of whatever time they have on this planet; be it a day or a few decades, life should be enjoyed. Death, to Epicurus, “is a deprivation of sensation, (539)” and “understanding that death is nothing to us makes the mortality of life enjoyable…because it takes away the craving for immortality. (539)” We need not worry or fear the anticipation of death “since so long as we exist, death is not with us; but when death comes, then we do not exist. (539).” Instead of worrying about living for the longest amount of time, Epicurus focused on receiving the most enjoyment out of the time that we have on this planet.
Epicurus claimed that there are several types of pleasures: natural, vain, necessary for happiness, necessary for the repose of the body and others. To lead a life of blessedness, one must refer all choice and avoidance to “the health of the body and the soul’s freedom from disturbance. (539)” By acting this way one will avoid pain and fear. Epicurus does understand that some pleasures can lead to a life of vice which is why he states we should not choose every pleasure. If too much of a pleasure causes pain then it is not worth pursuing and sometimes pain can cause a greater pleasure if endured for a very long time. He goes on to say that it is not possible to live pleasantly without living prudently and honorably and justly, and vice versa. Pleasure is an interesting idea as ultimately it is a goal, but if pleasure is achieved through a disturbing or impure method then it is not worth pursuing. You cannot rely on the flesh to perceive pleasure as its limits for pleasure are unlimited and to supply it would require an unlimited amount of time. Instead, perceiving pleasure through the mind, which attained a reasoned understanding of which pleasure to pursue, will lead to a complete life. While pleasures of the flesh will lead to the need of an infinite life which is not what the goal should be.
The best pleasure for Epicurus is that of friendship. Above everything else, Epicurus believes experiences are heightened, and the most amount of fine pleasure is derived from a task when completed with a friend. With a companion, “you never shall be disturbed waking or asleep, but you shall live like a god among men. (541)”
The other school of thought that came out of the Peloponnesian War was stoicism. Founded by Xeno, the stoics understood that life was fragile, and everyone