🧠Greek Philosophy Unit 17 – Epicureanism: Philosophy of Pleasure

Who Was Epicurus?

• Greek philosopher who lived from 341 to 270 BCE and founded the school of philosophy known as Epicureanism
• Born on the island of Samos and moved to Athens at the age of 18 to complete his military service
• Studied philosophy under Nausiphanes, a follower of Democritus, and was influenced by the atomist theory
• Established his own school, "The Garden," in Athens around 306 BCE, which welcomed both men and women
• Authored over 300 works, but only a few fragments and letters survive, including "Letter to Menoeceus" and "Principal Doctrines"
• Emphasized the importance of living a simple life, seeking pleasure through the absence of pain and disturbance
• Believed in the mortality of the soul and rejected the idea of an afterlife
• Died at the age of 72 from kidney stones, leaving his school to his disciple Hermarchus

Key Principles of Epicureanism

• Atomism: The universe consists of indivisible particles called atoms moving in an infinite void
• Materialism: Everything that exists is composed of matter, and there is no supernatural realm
• Pleasure as the highest good: The ultimate goal of life is to achieve a state of tranquility and freedom from pain
• Empiricism: Knowledge is derived from sensory experience and should be tested against reality
• Friendship: Cultivating close relationships with like-minded individuals is essential for happiness
• Autarchy: Self-sufficiency and independence from external desires and societal expectations
• Tetrapharmakos: The "four-part cure" for achieving happiness: don't fear gods, don't worry about death, what is good is easy to get, and what is terrible is easy to endure

The Epicurean View of Pleasure

• Epicurus distinguishes between two types of pleasure: kinetic (active) and katastematic (static)
• Kinetic pleasures involve the satisfaction of desires and are short-lived (eating, drinking, sex)
• Katastematic pleasures are the absence of pain and disturbance, leading to a state of tranquility (ataraxia)
• The highest form of pleasure is the absence of physical pain (aponia) and mental disturbance (ataraxia)
• Epicurus advises moderation in the pursuit of pleasure, as excessive indulgence can lead to pain
• Natural and necessary desires (food, shelter, safety) should be fulfilled, while natural but unnecessary desires (luxury items) and vain desires (fame, power) should be minimized
• Pleasure is not found in fleeting sensual gratification but in living a simple, virtuous life surrounded by friends

Atoms, Void, and Materialism

• Epicurus adopts Democritus' atomist theory, which states that the universe is composed of atoms and void
• Atoms are indivisible, eternal, and have various shapes, sizes, and weights
• Void is the empty space in which atoms move and collide, forming larger structures
• The properties of objects are determined by the arrangement and motion of their constituent atoms
• Epicurus introduces the concept of "swerve" (parenklisis), a slight deviation in the motion of atoms that allows for free will
• The soul is made of fine atoms distributed throughout the body and dissolves upon death
• Gods, if they exist, are made of atoms like everything else and do not intervene in human affairs
• Materialism rejects the existence of an immaterial realm or afterlife, emphasizing the importance of the present life

Epicurean Ethics and Happiness

• Epicurean ethics is based on the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain
• Happiness is achieved through a state of tranquility (ataraxia) and the absence of physical pain (aponia)
• Virtue is instrumental in achieving happiness, as it helps one make wise choices and avoid excesses
• The "four-part cure" (Tetrapharmakos) outlines the key principles for attaining happiness:
  1. Don't fear gods, as they are not involved in human affairs
  2. Don't worry about death, as it is the end of sensation
  3. What is good (pleasure) is easy to obtain through a simple life
  4. What is bad (pain) is easy to endure and usually short-lived
• Epicurus emphasizes the importance of self-sufficiency (autarchy) and independence from external desires
• Cultivating friendships with like-minded individuals is crucial for emotional support and shared experiences
• Living a simple life, free from the pursuit of wealth, fame, or power, is the key to lasting happiness

Critiques and Controversies

• Epicureanism was often misunderstood and caricatured as a hedonistic philosophy promoting sensual indulgence
• Critics argued that the emphasis on pleasure could lead to moral relativism and the neglect of social responsibilities
• The Epicurean idea of gods not intervening in human affairs was seen as a challenge to traditional religious beliefs
• The atomist theory was criticized for its apparent determinism and lack of teleology (purpose) in the universe
• Stoic philosophers argued that virtue, not pleasure, should be the highest good and that emotions should be controlled
• Some scholars question the consistency of Epicurus' teachings, particularly regarding free will and determinism
• The Epicurean ideal of withdrawing from public life and politics was seen as a form of escapism and social disengagement
• Later Christian thinkers, such as Lactantius and Augustine, criticized Epicureanism as a godless and immoral philosophy

Legacy and Influence

• Epicureanism was one of the most influential philosophical schools in the Hellenistic period and Roman era
• Notable Roman Epicureans include Lucretius, who wrote the poem "De Rerum Natura," and Philodemus, whose works were preserved in the Villa of the Papyri in Herculaneum
• Epicurean ideas influenced the development of scientific thought, particularly in the fields of atomism and materialism
• The Epicurean emphasis on empiricism and sensory experience anticipated aspects of modern scientific method
• Epicurean ethics, with its focus on pleasure and the avoidance of pain, has parallels in utilitarian and consequentialist theories
• The Epicurean ideal of a simple life and the pursuit of happiness influenced later thinkers, such as Thomas Jefferson and Jeremy Bentham
• Epicureanism experienced a revival in the 17th and 18th centuries, particularly in the works of Pierre Gassendi and the French Enlightenment thinkers
• Elements of Epicurean thought can be found in modern discussions of well-being, the value of friendship, and the role of desire in human life

How It Relates to Other Greek Philosophies

• Epicureanism emerged in the context of the Hellenistic period, alongside other schools such as Stoicism and Skepticism
• Like the Cyrenaics, Epicureans emphasize the importance of pleasure, but differ in their definition of the highest pleasure (absence of pain vs. active enjoyment)
• Epicureanism shares with Democritus' atomism the idea of a materialist universe, but introduces the concept of atomic "swerve" to allow for free will
• In contrast to Plato's theory of Forms and the immaterial realm, Epicureans maintain a strictly materialist ontology
• Epicureans reject the teleological worldview of Aristotle, arguing that the universe is not guided by a divine purpose or final cause
• Stoics and Epicureans both aim for a state of tranquility (ataraxia), but differ in their emphasis on virtue and the role of emotions
• Skeptics and Epicureans both emphasize the importance of sensory experience, but Epicureans maintain the possibility of knowledge through empirical investigation
• The Epicurean idea of the mortality of the soul and the absence of an afterlife contrasts with the views of Pythagoreanism and Orphism
• Epicureanism's focus on individual happiness and the avoidance of politics differs from the civic-minded philosophies of Plato and Aristotle