Ethics - General Discussion

In this section we discuss Epicurean Ethics and how to live as an Epicurean in a world where there are no supernatural gods and no life after death.

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Episode 349 — "Navigating Questions of Knowledge With Ships And Heaps"

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2. Discussion of Article - "Epicurus And The Pleasure Of Rebelling Against Plato" 13
  - 1
  - Cassius
  - August 28, 2026 at 6:15 PM
  - Cassius
  - September 5, 2026 at 11:05 AM
3. Replies
  
  13
  
  Views
  
  415
  
  13
4. Robert
  September 5, 2026 at 11:05 AM
2. Discussion Of The Article: "The Completeness Argument, Cicero's Knowledge Of It, And The Epicurean Response"
  - 1
  - Cassius
  - August 7, 2026 at 10:43 AM
  - Cassius
  - August 7, 2026 at 10:43 AM
3. Replies
  
  0
  
  Views
  
  454
2. Complexity, Contradictions, and "Testing Out" Epicurean Philosophy 6
  - Kalosyni
  - August 7, 2026 at 8:38 AM
  - Kalosyni
  - August 20, 2026 at 5:08 AM
3. Replies
  
  6
  
  Views
  
  427
  
  6
4. Cassius
  August 20, 2026 at 5:08 AM
2. What Would Epicurus Say To Someone Who Said To Him That The Value of Being Dead and Being Alive Are Equal? 23
  - Cassius
  - June 24, 2026 at 12:57 PM
  - Cassius
  - July 8, 2026 at 9:31 AM
3. Replies
  
  23
  
  Views
  
  1.9k
  
  23
4. Kalosyni
  July 8, 2026 at 9:31 AM
2. Clement on Epicurus' And Other Philosophers Opinions As To The Chief Good 3
  - 1
  - Cassius
  - May 20, 2026 at 7:22 PM
  - Cassius
  - May 20, 2026 at 11:03 PM
3. Replies
  
  3
  
  Views
  
  675
  
  3
4. Joshua
  May 20, 2026 at 11:03 PM
2. Iliustrations and Analogies For Explaining the "Two And Only Two Feelings" Argument 39
  - Cassius
  - May 20, 2026 at 5:24 PM
  - Cassius
  - May 22, 2026 at 1:06 PM
3. Replies
  
  39
  
  Views
  
  3.2k
  
  39
4. Todd
  May 22, 2026 at 1:06 PM
2. Discussion of Blog Article - "Why It Is Incorrect to Say Epicurean Philosophy Is Primarily About 'Absence of Pain'" 6
  - Cassius
  - May 20, 2026 at 10:56 AM
  - Cassius
  - May 20, 2026 at 5:12 PM
3. Replies
  
  6
  
  Views
  
  1.2k
  
  6
4. Cassius
  May 20, 2026 at 5:12 PM
2. Eikadistes Article Discussion - 'No Politics'
  - Cassius
  - May 18, 2026 at 7:27 PM
  - Cassius
  - May 18, 2026 at 7:27 PM
3. Replies
  
  0
  
  Views
  
  549
2. Should Epicurus be viewed as a pure consequentialist, virtue ethicist, or both? 14
  - wbernys
  - May 7, 2026 at 8:21 PM
  - wbernys
  - May 8, 2026 at 7:32 PM
3. Replies
  
  14
  
  Views
  
  1.3k
  
  14
4. Don
  May 8, 2026 at 7:32 PM
2. Neither "ataraxia" nor "not ataraxia", but "Joy as the goal" 24
  - 1
  - Kalosyni
  - February 25, 2026 at 10:08 AM
  - Kalosyni
  - May 3, 2026 at 3:59 PM
3. Replies
  
  24
  
  Views
  
  4.5k
  
  24
4. Don
  May 3, 2026 at 3:59 PM
2. Would It Be Fair To Say That Epicurus Taught "Lower Your Expectations And You'll Never Be Disappointed"? 10
  - Cassius
  - January 26, 2026 at 1:38 PM
  - Cassius
  - February 1, 2026 at 8:33 PM
3. Replies
  
  10
  
  Views
  
  2.3k
  
  10
4. kochiekoch
  February 1, 2026 at 8:33 PM
2. Defining and Summarizing Epicurean Ethics 4
  - Kalosyni
  - December 18, 2025 at 8:40 AM
  - Kalosyni
  - December 18, 2025 at 3:10 PM
3. Replies
  
  4
  
  Views
  
  1.4k
  
  4
4. Kalosyni
  December 18, 2025 at 3:10 PM
2. 'Their God Is The Belly" / "The Root of All Good Is The Pleasure Of The Stomach" And Similar Attributions 14
  - 1
  - Cassius
  - November 24, 2025 at 9:55 AM
  - Cassius
  - June 12, 2026 at 12:58 PM
3. Replies
  
  14
  
  Views
  
  4.4k
  
  14
4. Pacatus
  June 12, 2026 at 12:58 PM
2. Spitting Upon the Beautiful... 3
  - 7
  - Adrastus
  - October 23, 2025 at 10:28 PM
  - Adrastus
  - October 24, 2025 at 4:06 PM
3. Replies
  
  3
  
  Views
  
  1.4k
  
  3
4. Cassius
  October 24, 2025 at 4:06 PM
2. Cicero's Comparison of the Life of Lucius Balbus (Pleasure) Against That Of Marcus Regulus (VIrtue)
  - Cassius
  - August 6, 2025 at 8:55 AM
  - Cassius
  - August 6, 2025 at 8:55 AM
3. Replies
  
  0
  
  Views
  
  2k
2. What amount of effort should be put into pursuing pleasure or removing pain? 23
  - 1
  - Kalosyni
  - June 24, 2025 at 7:31 AM
  - Kalosyni
  - July 6, 2025 at 10:14 AM
3. Replies
  
  23
  
  Views
  
  7.6k
  
  23
4. Patrikios
  July 6, 2025 at 10:14 AM
2. Is All Desire Painful? How Would Epicurus Answer? 25
  - 1
  - Cassius
  - May 7, 2025 at 10:02 PM
  - Cassius
  - June 15, 2025 at 9:23 PM
3. Replies
  
  25
  
  Views
  
  9.2k
  
  25
4. TauPhi
  June 15, 2025 at 9:23 PM
2. Driving Away Bad Habits "Like Evil Men Who Have Long Done Us Great Harm" (Including Addictions)
  - 4
  - Cassius
  - April 23, 2025 at 4:17 PM
  - Cassius
  - April 23, 2025 at 4:17 PM
3. Replies
  
  0
  
  Views
  
  1.1k
2. The Argument That the Good Of Animals is Not the Same As The Good of Human Beings
  - 1
  - Cassius
  - March 3, 2025 at 3:10 PM
  - Cassius
  - March 3, 2025 at 3:10 PM
3. Replies
  
  0
  
  Views
  
  1.2k
2. "Peace and Safety" vs. "Conflict and Danger" 7
  - 1
  - Cassius
  - February 2, 2025 at 9:00 AM
  - Cassius
  - February 2, 2025 at 3:47 PM
3. Replies
  
  7
  
  Views
  
  4.3k
  
  7
4. Cassius
  February 2, 2025 at 3:47 PM
2. When Epicureans Choose Pain / When Epicureans Treat Pain As Good 4
  - Cassius
  - December 22, 2024 at 8:51 AM
  - Cassius
  - December 22, 2024 at 11:50 AM
3. Replies
  
  4
  
  Views
  
  3.1k
  
  4
4. Don
  December 22, 2024 at 11:50 AM
2. Why Minimizing All Desire Is Incorrect (And What To Do Instead) 34
  - 5
  - Kalosyni
  - December 4, 2024 at 11:15 AM
  - Kalosyni
  - December 8, 2024 at 2:08 PM
3. Replies
  
  34
  
  Views
  
  13k
  
  34
4. Cassius
  December 8, 2024 at 2:08 PM
2. Questions re Pleasure 2
  - 1
  - Matteng
  - November 9, 2024 at 5:35 AM
  - Matteng
  - November 9, 2024 at 3:50 PM
3. Replies
  
  2
  
  Views
  
  3.3k
  
  2
4. Matteng
  November 9, 2024 at 3:50 PM
2. A Fable on Unattainable Expectations 6
  - 3
  - Pacatus
  - October 16, 2024 at 5:12 PM
  - Pacatus
  - November 22, 2024 at 11:32 AM
3. Replies
  
  6
  
  Views
  
  3.9k
  
  6
4. Don
  November 22, 2024 at 11:32 AM
2. The Normal Curve of Pleasure 5
  - 2
  - kochiekoch
  - July 22, 2024 at 1:28 PM
  - kochiekoch
  - July 23, 2024 at 5:59 PM
3. Replies
  
  5
  
  Views
  
  4.1k
  
  5
4. kochiekoch
  July 23, 2024 at 5:59 PM
2. Health of the Body and Happiness of the Soul -vs- "The Goal is Pleasure" 4
  - 2
  - Kalosyni
  - June 4, 2024 at 1:34 PM
  - Kalosyni
  - September 9, 2024 at 6:56 AM
3. Replies
  
  4
  
  Views
  
  5.1k
  
  4
4. Cassius
  September 9, 2024 at 6:56 AM
2. Explaining In Summary Form How A Man In Extreme Pain Can Be Said To Be "Happy" 22
  - 1
  - Cassius
  - April 20, 2024 at 5:38 AM
  - Cassius
  - July 1, 2024 at 1:24 PM
3. Replies
  
  22
  
  Views
  
  11k
  
  22
4. Kalosyni
  July 1, 2024 at 1:24 PM
2. Scientific Support for Psychological Hedonism 19
  - 4
  - kochiekoch
  - April 19, 2024 at 1:43 PM
  - kochiekoch
  - April 23, 2024 at 8:04 PM
3. Replies
  
  19
  
  Views
  
  12k
  
  19
4. Little Rocker
  April 23, 2024 at 8:04 PM
2. Given The Stress That Many Greek Philosophers' Placed On "Virtue" or a perfect view of "The Good" As The Ultimate Goal, To What Extent Would An Epicurus Have Considered That Approach An "Unnatural and Unnecessary Desire?" 4
  - 1
  - Cassius
  - February 26, 2024 at 4:51 PM
  - Cassius
  - February 26, 2024 at 10:48 PM
3. Replies
  
  4
  
  Views
  
  4.5k
  
  4
4. Don
  February 26, 2024 at 10:48 PM
2. If We Agree For The Sake of Argument That "The Perfect Should Not Be The Enemy of The Good," then let's ask "What *Should* We Consider To Be The Proper Relationship Between The Perfect And The Good?" 8
  - 3
  - Cassius
  - February 26, 2024 at 4:43 PM
  - Cassius
  - February 29, 2024 at 12:22 AM
3. Replies
  
  8
  
  Views
  
  5.9k
  
  8
4. Don
  February 29, 2024 at 12:22 AM

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Discussion of Article - "Epicurus And The Pleasure Of Rebelling Against Plato" 13

Complexity, Contradictions, and "Testing Out" Epicurean Philosophy 6

What Would Epicurus Say To Someone Who Said To Him That The Value of Being Dead and Being Alive Are Equal? 23

Clement on Epicurus' And Other Philosophers Opinions As To The Chief Good 3

Iliustrations and Analogies For Explaining the "Two And Only Two Feelings" Argument 39

Discussion of Blog Article - "Why It Is Incorrect to Say Epicurean Philosophy Is Primarily About 'Absence of Pain'" 6

Should Epicurus be viewed as a pure consequentialist, virtue ethicist, or both? 14

Neither "ataraxia" nor "not ataraxia", but "Joy as the goal" 24

Would It Be Fair To Say That Epicurus Taught "Lower Your Expectations And You'll Never Be Disappointed"? 10

Defining and Summarizing Epicurean Ethics 4

'Their God Is The Belly" / "The Root of All Good Is The Pleasure Of The Stomach" And Similar Attributions 14

Spitting Upon the Beautiful... 3

What amount of effort should be put into pursuing pleasure or removing pain? 23

Is All Desire Painful? How Would Epicurus Answer? 25

"Peace and Safety" vs. "Conflict and Danger" 7

When Epicureans Choose Pain / When Epicureans Treat Pain As Good 4

Why Minimizing All Desire Is Incorrect (And What To Do Instead) 34

Questions re Pleasure 2

A Fable on Unattainable Expectations 6

The Normal Curve of Pleasure 5

Health of the Body and Happiness of the Soul -vs- "The Goal is Pleasure" 4

Explaining In Summary Form How A Man In Extreme Pain Can Be Said To Be "Happy" 22

Scientific Support for Psychological Hedonism 19

Given The Stress That Many Greek Philosophers' Placed On "Virtue" or a perfect view of "The Good" As The Ultimate Goal, To What Extent Would An Epicurus Have Considered That Approach An "Unnatural and Unnecessary Desire?" 4

If We Agree For The Sake of Argument That "The Perfect Should Not Be The Enemy of The Good," then let's ask "What *Should* We Consider To Be The Proper Relationship Between The Perfect And The Good?" 8

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Finding Things At EpicureanFriends.com

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If We Agree For The Sake of Argument That "The Perfect Should Not Be The Enemy of The Good," then let's ask "What Should We Consider To Be The Proper Relationship Between The Perfect And The Good?" 8