Epicurus Essay -- Papers Philosophy Happniess

Epicurus Epicurus was a philosopher who was believed to be the one with all the answers to life. He encouraged the Ideal of Good Life, to live simple lives by seeking pleasure and avoiding pain. Epicurus views worries as unnecessary and unnatural desires. If these desires are avoided, he believes that all worries will be eliminated. Epicurus' metaphysical theory was based on Democritus's view of atoms. They were monists who believed all is matter, the soul is equivalent to the mind and comes apart at death. I feel that Epicurus' extravagance leads to pain, not pleasure; and, therefore, should be avoided. According to Epicurus, the purpose of life is happiness; and by happiness he means not that state of well being and perfection, but pleasure itself. The Epicurean goal to happiness was ataraxia, freedom from inner disturbance. Epicurus acknowledges the issue of pain caused by owning many material possessions. He believes that even though these possessions may make us happy, the long-term pleasure will not exist. Having many great possessions cause people to be happy, but then they want more and more, which means they will never reach happiness. I feel this point is true to some extent. Although quality of life is a very important point made by Epicurus, quantity also plays a big role. Epicurus takes this to the extreme level of never giving ones self any luxury at all. Everyone who lives on the earth has their good and bad days, when it is a bad day, as human beings we deserve to splurge every once in a while. We work hard here as humans and deserve some kind of replenishme nt for it, weather it is material, physical, emotional, or whatever else it is that one wants. Epicurus believes pleasure is the standar... ...o that is what we should have. Thirdly, unnecessary desires are vain and will not cause pain if absent. According to Epicurus, it is unnecessary to desire sex. I strongly disagree with this point because it is natural to have the urge for sexual interactions and necessary to fulfill them or else reproduction would not occur. It seems to me that Epicurus was the type of person who just wanted to live the life he was supposed to live so he could live life in the best possible way. Even though his beliefs were mostly unrealistic, his intent was to make it possible to live worry free. I feel that if Epicurus lived in today's society, he would have a completely different philosophy. Epicurus did not have enough information to back up all of his theories, and with our world today, he would have thought differently about his philosophy, ideal of the Good Life.