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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  1. Ancient Epicurean Texts (300 BC to 300 AD)
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  3. Study Resources and Activism
  4. Physics - The Nature of the Universe
  5. Canonics - The Tests of Truth: The Five Senses, Anticipations, and Feelings of Pleasure and Pain
  6. Ethics - How to Live As An Epicurean
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    2. Questions re Pleasure 2

      • Matteng
      • November 9, 2024 at 5:35 AM
      • Matteng
      • November 9, 2024 at 3:50 PM
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    4. Matteng

      November 9, 2024 at 3:50 PM

    2. Priorities: How To Rank "Pursuing Pleasure" vs. "Avoiding Pain" 2

      • Cassius
      • February 4, 2019 at 5:10 PM
      • Cassius
      • February 5, 2019 at 5:18 PM
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    4. Cassius

      February 5, 2019 at 5:18 PM

    2. Practical Pleasure-Pain Perspectives: How Different is 99% Pleasure From 100% Pleasure? 13

      • Cassius
      • October 5, 2023 at 12:06 PM
      • Cassius
      • October 6, 2023 at 10:24 AM
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    4. Cassius

      October 6, 2023 at 10:24 AM

    2. Pleasure, Desire and Limits 36

      • Godfrey
      • July 20, 2022 at 8:34 PM
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    4. Godfrey

      July 20, 2022 at 8:34 PM

    2. Pleasure vs pain - example and thoughts! 10

      • ThinkingCat
      • May 21, 2023 at 9:08 PM
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    4. Don

      May 21, 2023 at 9:08 PM

    2. Perspectives On "Proving" That Pleasure is "The Good" 209

      • Todd
      • December 19, 2022 at 4:34 PM
      • Todd
      • July 15, 2025 at 12:11 PM
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    4. Matteng

      July 15, 2025 at 12:11 PM

    2. Pathe - Notes On Usage

      • Cassius
      • June 8, 2015 at 11:35 AM
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    2. On The Relationship of Eudaemonia And Pleasure

      • Cassius
      • July 10, 2019 at 7:02 AM
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    2. On the associations between Virtue and Pleasure and my Epicurean Write up 1

      • Eoghan Gardiner
      • March 27, 2018 at 7:56 AM
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    4. Cassius

      March 27, 2018 at 7:56 AM

    2. On "Desires" And Their Relationship To Pleasure 30

      • Godfrey
      • September 10, 2020 at 2:53 PM
      • Godfrey
      • September 12, 2020 at 7:44 PM
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    4. Cassius

      September 12, 2020 at 7:44 PM

    2. Nietzsche Channeling Epicurus "Never Losing One's Own Way," and How To Proceed With Philosophical Therapy 3

      • Cassius
      • December 23, 2018 at 10:13 AM
      • Cassius
      • February 1, 2019 at 10:27 AM
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    4. Cassius

      February 1, 2019 at 10:27 AM

    2. New Book by Erler (Würzburg Center): "Epicurus: An Introduction to His Practical Ethics and Politics" 3

      • Titus
      • June 24, 2021 at 3:39 PM
      • Titus
      • November 16, 2025 at 10:41 AM
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    4. Patrikios

      November 16, 2025 at 10:41 AM

    2. Natural versus Unnatural 12

      • Matt
      • December 30, 2020 at 8:54 AM
      • Matt
      • January 10, 2021 at 12:33 PM
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    4. Cassius

      January 10, 2021 at 12:33 PM

    2. My Best Summary As Of November 2018

      • Cassius
      • November 2, 2018 at 7:01 AM
      • Cassius
      • November 2, 2018 at 7:01 AM
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    2. My 2024 Resolution: Get A More Accurate Picture of Epicurean Pleasure To The World Rather Than "Tranquility" or "Live Unkown"(Comment on Irish Times Article) 15

      • Cassius
      • January 1, 2024 at 7:03 AM
      • Cassius
      • January 27, 2024 at 5:25 PM
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    4. Eikadistes

      January 27, 2024 at 5:25 PM

    2. Multiple Components Comprise the Epicurean Life 30

      • Kalosyni
      • October 23, 2021 at 1:53 PM
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    4. Godfrey

      October 23, 2021 at 1:53 PM

    2. Mental pleasure/pain more intense and longer lasting than physical pleasure/pain 33

      • frank1syl
      • December 13, 2023 at 10:19 PM
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    4. BrainToBeing

      December 13, 2023 at 10:19 PM

    2. Maximum pleasure as absence of all pain: a philosophical question concerning neuroscientific and Epicurean outlook toward the feeling of pleasure 10

      • shahabgh66
      • January 26, 2024 at 7:24 PM
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    4. DavidN

      January 26, 2024 at 7:24 PM

    2. Major Observations and Conclusions of Epicurean Philosophy - An Outline

      • Cassius
      • September 14, 2015 at 9:13 PM
      • Cassius
      • September 14, 2015 at 9:13 PM
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    2. Major Controversies In Understanding Epicurean Philosophy

      • Cassius
      • December 11, 2018 at 2:25 AM
      • Cassius
      • December 11, 2018 at 2:25 AM
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    2. List of Epicurean philosophical remedies

      • Kalosyni
      • November 8, 2023 at 10:52 AM
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    2. Is pleasure as the natural goal of life falsifiable? 30

      • waterholic
      • December 8, 2022 at 6:08 AM
      • waterholic
      • February 10, 2023 at 11:02 PM
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    4. Don

      February 10, 2023 at 11:02 PM

    2. Is it true that "ataraxia is not physical pleasure, or even mental pleasure, but a state of inner calm?"

      • Cassius
      • March 11, 2017 at 3:25 PM
      • Cassius
      • March 11, 2017 at 3:25 PM
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    2. Is All Desire Painful? How Would Epicurus Answer? 25

      • Cassius
      • June 15, 2025 at 9:23 PM
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    4. TauPhi

      June 15, 2025 at 9:23 PM

    2. Is All "Ataraxia" Equal? 30

      • Cassius
      • November 18, 2023 at 7:47 PM
      • Cassius
      • February 19, 2024 at 12:29 PM
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    4. Cassius

      February 19, 2024 at 12:29 PM

    2. Inferential Foundations of Epicurean Ethics by David Sedley 1

      • Godfrey
      • June 3, 2021 at 4:47 PM
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    4. Cassius

      June 3, 2021 at 4:47 PM

    2. Imagery On The Interplay Between "Pursue Pleasure" and 'Avoid Pain" 33

      • Cassius
      • March 28, 2023 at 9:09 AM
      • Cassius
      • March 31, 2023 at 10:10 AM
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    4. Don

      March 31, 2023 at 10:10 AM

    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

      • Cassius
      • February 26, 2024 at 4:43 PM
      • Cassius
      • February 29, 2024 at 12:22 AM
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    4. Don

      February 29, 2024 at 12:22 AM

    2. If Death Is Nothing To Us, Then Life Is Everything to Us 29

      • Cassius
      • October 7, 2023 at 12:06 AM
      • Cassius
      • October 7, 2023 at 8:22 PM
    3. Replies
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    4. Cassius

      October 7, 2023 at 8:22 PM

    2. Identifying And Dealing With Significant Error / Mistakes in Ourselves (and Others)

      • Cassius
      • April 21, 2022 at 9:38 AM
      • Cassius
      • April 21, 2022 at 9:38 AM
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