Epicurus of Samos (341-270 BCE) was the founder of the philosophical system to which he gave his name: Epicureanism. It is a label that is often misused and misunderstood today, with ‘a life of pleasure’ as the key aim misinterpreted as a life of indulgence. In fact, the philosophy of Epicurus demonstrated also by his life, was anything but! He established a school in Athens called The Garden, underpinned by his system of ethics.He promoted, by his own example, a simple, ordered, c...

"The Essential Epicurus," compiled from ancient texts, distills the core teachings of Epicurus, the Greek philosopher who championed a life of tranquil pleasure free from fear and pain. Central to his philosophy is the pursuit of happiness through modest pleasure, friendship, and philosophical contemplation. Rejecting superstition and divine intervention, Epicurus argued for the rational pursuit of peace and the embrace of a simple life, emphasizing the importance of understanding the natu...

The Moral Letters of Epicurus provides a profound exploration of Epicurean philosophy through a rich collection of letters filled with practical advice and ethical guidance. These letters, addressed to friends and followers, encapsulate the essence of a life devoted to the pursuit of happiness through understanding nature, cultivating friendships, and embracing tranquility. The literary style is straightforward yet deeply contemplative, emblematic of Epicurus's commitment to making philoso...

The Greek Philosopher behind Nearly Every Bad Idea

'It is impossible to live the pleasant life without also living sensibly, nobly and justly'The ancient Greek philosopher and teacher Epicurus argued that pleasure - not sensual hedonism, but the absence of pain or fear - is the highest goal of life. His hugely influential lessons on happiness are a call to appreciate the joy of being alive.One of twenty new books in the bestselling Penguin Great Ideas series. This new selection showcases a diverse ...

For Epicurus, the purpose of philosophy was to attain the happy, tranquil life, characterized by peace and freedom from fear, the absence of pain, and by living a self-sufficient life surrounded by friends. He taught that pleasure and pain are the measures of what is good and evil; death is the end of both body and soul and should therefore not be feared; the gods neither reward nor punish humans; the universe is infinite and eternal; and events in the world are ultimately based on the mot...

Epicurus posited a materialistic physics, in which pleasure, by which he meant freedom from pain, is the highest good. Serenity, the harmony of mind and body, is best achieved, through virtue and simple living. In addition to the Principal Doctrines, included here is the essay Epicureanism by William De Witt Hyde and an Epicurus biography by Charles Bradlaugh.

“Not what we have but what we enjoy, constitutes our abundance.”- Epicurus.Epicurus posited a materialistic physics, in which pleasure, by which he meant freedom from pain, is the highest good. Serenity, the harmony of mind and body, is best achieved, through virtue and simple living.In addition to the Principal Doctrines, included here is the essay Epicureanism by William De Witt Hyde and an Epicurus biography by Charles Bradlaugh...

"No one is too young or too old to know what happiness is."This is how the way to happiness begins according to Epicurus, the famous founder of one of the most important schools of thought of the Hellenistic and Roman age.Happiness, which individuals yearn so much for, becomes something really easy to get.In this "Letter on happiness" Epicurus reflects on the real meaning of happiness and then reveals you how you can achieve it .You can read and read to it again...

“It is folly for a man to pray to the gods for that which he has the power to obtain by himself.”-EpicurusFounded in the fourth century BC, Epicureanism was the main alternative philosophy to its popular rival Stoicism. Based upon the teachings of Greek philosopher Epicurus, the philosophy propounded an ethic of individual pleasure as the sole or chief good in life. Epicurus advocated living in such a way as to derive the greatest amount of pleasure possible during one's li...

Epicurus was an ancient Greek philosopher and sage who founded Epicureanism, a highly influential school of philosophy. He was born on the Greek island of Samos to Athenian parents. Influenced by Democritus, Aristippus, Pyrrho, and possibly the Cynics, he turned against the Platonism of his day and established his own school, known as "the Garden", in Athens. Epicurus and his followers were known for eating simple meals and discussing a wide range of philosophical subjects...