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Questions tagged [epicurus]

Questions related to the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus (341–270 BC), who founded a school of philosophy known as Epicureanism.

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What are some criticisms of Epicurus' "death is nothing to us"?

Epicurus famously asserted that death should not be feared, with roughly the following argument: When we die, we no longer exist; Since we no longer exist, we can feel neither pain nor pleasure. Rather, we simple "are not"; Therefore, there is…
commando
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What are the main points of criticism of the ancient Stoic school vis-a-vis the system of philosophy of the Epicureans?

What was the main criticism of the ancient Stoic school of philosophy with respect to the system of philosophy of the Epicureans?
Phira
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Why did Epicureanism become "the main opponent" of Stoicism?

I was reading about Epicureanism on Wikipedia, and there I saw that, apparently, Epicureanism was in conflict with Stoicism and Platonism. I then read up on those two philosophies, and well, they do not seem mutually exclusive at all! They are…
jcora
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Are Hellenistic schools of philosophy also therapeutic regimes?

Martha C. Nussbaum argues in The Therapy of Desire: Theory and Practice in Hellenistic Ethics that all three major Hellenistic schools (Epicureanism, Stoicism, Skeptics) shared a practical, therapeutic (as opposed to e.g. theoretic, metaphysical)…
Drux
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Are there more modern schools that follow Epicurean philosophy?

As Wikipedia says in its article, Epicureanism in short means: pleasure is the highest good, thus gain it through living virtuous life and expecting less. Based on this definition, is there a modern society, tribe, social network, or any group of…
Saeed Neamati
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Where can I find material on Epicureanism?

I'm looking for books by Epicurus, but I haven't been able to find any. Can anyone suggest one, or another reference book that deals with Epicureanism? I don't have any context by which to judge these materials, but I'm looking for a good…
Sreedhar Danturthi
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Is Epicureanism a form of Hedonism?

Epicureanism can be argued to be a form of Hedonism, holding the belief that pleasure is the only source of what is intrinsically good. The distinction between the two, as Hedonism seeks to maximise the net pleasure experienced in life, as total…
user19651
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Reasons to fear death

Epicurus said that fearing nonexistence is not only stupid, it even gets in the way of enjoying life. I agree with Epicurus and I am trying to stop fearing death by thinking about it logically. I now have peace with as far as I know every aspect of…
Raymond
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what are the differences of existentialism to epicurianism?

Although not an expert, I do see many similarities on both these currents' focus on man himself, aboloshing all idols and taking control of his fate. Are there any real differences between these two philosophies?
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What are some examples of individualism in ancient Greek philosophy?

When people speak about disrupting action, an action that often goes against the commonly accepted moral laws, the pople that comes to my mind are Nietzsche, D'Annunzio, Marinetti and the Italian Futurism. Are there any ancient Greek philosophers…
Vitaly Olegovitch
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Is it rationally possible to believe in a sensationless soul after death?

Epicurus's thoughts on death were: -Death is the cessation of sensation -Good and evil only make sense in terms of sensation Therefore: Death is neither good nor evil My (sort of related) question about death: I was wondering if it's possible to…
Tobias Ethercroft
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"I was not; I was; I am not; I do not care"

From Wikipedia's page on Epicurus: He also believed (contra Aristotle) that death was not to be feared. When a man dies, he does not feel the pain of death because he no longer is and he therefore feels nothing. Therefore, as Epicurus famously…
coleopterist
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How does Democritus account for eidola in terms of his atomic theory, if in fact he does?

'Eidola' is the peeling away of images from an object that then enters the eye, in Democritus' theory of optics. However, given his atomic theory, it seems puzzling that he doesn't attempt to explain sight in those terms. Does he in fact do so, or…
Mozibur Ullah
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Sources for Epicurus and the history of medicine

I am researching the history of medical philosophy (nursing in particular). A professor recommended the writings of Epicurus. I cannot find any sources directly related to this relationship. The closest I've come is a brief mention in the answers to…
J. Zimmerman
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Epicureans in Judea

Are there records of there being Epicureans in Judea of the 1st-3rd centuries CE or in surrounding territories? And if so, were there any notable ones among them?
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