Epicureanism Live for Pleasure

Epicurus’ Life born 341 BC grew up in Athenian colony of Samos founded the Garden (philosophical community and school) in 306 BC died from kidney stones between 271 and 270 BC Epicureanism declined with rise of Christianity certain aspects were revived during renaissance period

The gods ethical ideals strive to emulate lives and not fear their wrath Atomic Theory = any compound body, even a god, can be immortal scholars think Epicurus’ gods exist only in human minds as idealizations gods exist but only as what the most blessed life would be is Epicurus atheist?

Philosophy of mind Identity Theory of Mind the mind must be a body because of its ability to interact with the body “only bodies can interact with other bodies” there is a ‘spirit’ spread throughout the rest of the body which allows for communication mind and spirit = central and peripheral nervous system in modern day ideologies death = annihilation the container of the body shatter and atoms disperse

Ethics “the only thing that is intrinsically valuable is ones own pleasure” everything we do, we do to gain pleasure for ourselves one immediately perceives pleasure is good and pain is bad “one should calculate what is in one's long-term self-interest, and forgo what will bring pleasure in the short-term if doing so will ultimately lead to greater pleasure in the long-term.” the greatest destroyer of happiness is anxiety about the future Friendship is valuable because its one of the greatest means of attaining pleasure

Types of pleasure Moving Pleasures Static Pleasures when one is in the process of satisfying a pleasure eating a hamburger when hungry Static Pleasures no longer being in need or want

Types of desire Natural and Necessary Natural but Not Necessary desire for food and shelter Natural but Not Necessary desire for luxury food Vain and Empty desire for power wealth and fame

death anxiety about death is pointless because you have to realize that death is annihilation No Subject of Harm Argument Death is annihilation. The living have not yet been annihilated (otherwise they wouldn't be alive). Death does not affect the living. (from 1 and 2) So, death is not bad for the living. (from 3) For something to be bad for somebody, that person has to exist, at least. The dead do not exist. (from 1) Therefore, death is not bad for the dead. (from 5 and 6) Therefore death is bad for neither the living nor the dead. (from 4 and 7)

Death cont’d For whom is death bad?? “Symmetry Argument” The past infinity of pre-natal non-existence is like the future infinity of post-mortem non-existence Symmetry Argument” The past infinity of pre-natal non-existence is like the future infinity of post-mortem non-existence