EpicurusEpicurus is one of the philosophers of Ancient Greece, born around 341 B.C. He was the creator of one of the most popular schools of thought of his era: Epicureanism (the other dominant philosophies were Stoicism and Skepticism). The school of Epicureanism was known at the time as The Garden, named such since it was in fact in a garden owned by Epicurus that his disciples would meet with him to learn and discuss philosophical issues.
Epicurus is considered to be one of the fathers of today’s largely heterogeneous ontological landscape: naturalism, materialism and physicalism. His conception of the universe was atomistic, where everything at a macro-object level is made of smaller things, until you get to a bedrock level of basic atoms. For Epicurus, the atoms are the fundamental units of reality and they move within a void, or space.
In addition to being an ancient materialist, Epicurus was also a non-skeptical empiricist about knowledge. Accordingly, the Epicureans believed that all knowledge is acquired via experience through the senses, feelings (pain/pleasure), and pre-shaped ways of interpreting and judging. As non-skeptical empiricists, the Epicureans believed that knowledge acquired through experience is trustworthy. Error enters in only at the level of interpretation or judgement.
One of the fundamental teachings of Epicureanism encouraged its followers to live away from the bustle of the world and the search for glory and riches, and to instead lead a quiet and secluded existence involved in the pursuit of pleasure defined as, for example, good company, good food, and freedom from pain and fear. This did not mean that Epicurus advocated gluttony or excessive behavior, for in fact he taught that sometimes immediate pleasures had to be avoided for the sake of a better and more long-term future goal.
There is ongoing scholarly debate about whether the Epicureans actually believed in the gods (they insisted that they did) or whether they were closet atheists (and just giving lip service to the idea to avoid trouble). Regardless, Epicurus was one of the first Greek philosophers to de-emphasize the gods’ involvement with man. The primary reason given for this view is that the gods would be lesser beings for such burdensome involvement. If involvement with humans and the world was too lowly a task for the gods, then such an ontology implies that there is no room for explanation by reference to the activity of a god.
Web Resources On Epicurus
IEP: Epicurus
Wikipedia: Epicurus
Book Resources On EpicurusThe Essential Epicurus by Eugene Michael O’Connor (Translator)
Epicurus: His Continuing Influence and Contemporary Relevance by Dane R. Gordon (Editor), David B. Suits (Editor)
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