Epicurus was a great philosopher that founded the Epicurean belief. He was born in 341 B.C. and met his demise in 270 B.C. He was an advocate for seeking out carnal desires; however, he also knew the significance of experiencing pain in life. Without suffering, people would indefinitely take everything for granted. Epicurus had a following of people that he taught to live modestly, within their means, in communities filled with individuals that had pleasant demeanors. His philosophy presented valid options for dealing with emotional distress and the many difficulties associated with life. He concluded that happiness is equivalent to the “absence of pain”. The people that are without friends are not better off, according …show more content…
Don’t worry about death.
3. What is good is easy to get.
4. What is terrible is easy to endure.” (Bergsma)
Epicurus believed that the gods did not concern themselves with the affairs of humans. One has to give themselves order and a moral code to live by because no one else was going to give it to them. The gods did not listen to prayer, Epicurus argued, and it was pointless to expect things to change without any action from the particular individual. (Bergsma)
Fear of death is a major cause of depression. Epicurus eliminated the need for this fear. He stated, “[Death] is relevant to neither the living nor the dead, since it does not affect the former and the latter do not exist.” (Bergsma)
Epicureanism Vs. Stoicism
Both Epicurus and Lucretius believed that an individual is a combination of a soul and a body. It is separate from the concept of dualism, wherein the body is viewed as being material and the soul is immaterial. In Epicureanism, both the body and the soul are believed to be substantial. Anything material can be corrupted. This argument makes both the soul and body mortal. “Death is defined as the separation and dissolution of soul-atoms from the body as they return to the vast reservoir of atomic material in the universe.” Epicurus argues that once the soul has exited the body, it does not hold any power, which means that it would not be able to have feelings. Pain and pleasure are derivatives of the fusion of soul and body. Once this fusion has ceased, a person will not be able to feel anything.