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Epicureanism is a system of philosophy founded 307 BCE based upon the teachings of Epicurus, an ancient Greek philosopher. Epicurus was an atomist and materialist, following in the steps of Democritus. His materialism led him to religious skepticism and a general attack on superstition and divine intervention.
The Epicurean paradox or riddle of Epicurus or Epicurus' trilemma is a version of the problem of evil. Lactantius attributes this trilemma to Epicurus in De Ira Dei , 13, 20-21: God, he says, either wishes to take away evils, and is unable; or He is able, and is unwilling; or He is neither willing nor able, or He is both willing and able.
For Epicurus, man alone had the pleasures of friendship and philosophy; indeed, philosophy gave man the important ability to drive out empty or unnatural desires. [4] The Epicurean philosopher Lucretius , in his De rerum natura , compared primitive men to "hairy boars" in their unhappiness.
Epicurus was not an atheist, although he rejected the idea of a god concerned with human affairs; followers of Epicureanism denied the idea that there was no god. While the conception of a supreme, happy and blessed god was the most popular during his time, Epicurus rejected such a notion, as he considered it too heavy a burden for a god to have to worry about all the problems in the world.
It was an important concept in Ancient Greek philosophy, especially in the Epicurean school. It is also the root of the English word "hedonism". In Greek mythology, Hedone is personified as a goddess of pleasure, enjoyment, and delight, as the daughter born from the union of Eros (personification of love) and Psyche (personification of the soul ...
Maimonides probably encountered the name of Epicurus some time between composing his commentary on the Mishnah and before composing The Guide for the Perplexed. In the first source, he states that the rabbinic term epikoros is an Aramaic word; in the Guide, Maimonides has become aware of the atheistic doctrine of the philosopher by that name.
Epicurus developed a nuanced form of ethical hedonism, arguing that a tranquil state of mind cultivated through moderation leads to the greatest overall happiness. [ 24 ] Ethical or normative hedonism is the thesis that the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain are the highest moral principles of human behavior.
Bust of Epicurus.Achieving ataraxia is an important goal in Epicurean philosophy.. In Ancient Greek philosophy, ataraxia (Greek: ἀταραξία, from ἀ-indicating negation or absence and ταραχ-tarach-' to disturb, trouble ' with the abstract noun suffix -ία), generally translated as ' unperturbedness ', ' imperturbability ', ' equanimity ', or ' tranquility ', [1] is a lucid state ...