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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  5. Physics - The Nature of the Universe
  6. Canonics - The Tests of Truth: The Five Senses, Anticipations, and Feelings of Pleasure and Pain
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  11. Comparisons With Non-Epicurean Philosophies
  12. History, Locations, and Customs Relevant to Ancient Epicureans
  13. Epicurean Symbolism in Art, Music, Literature, and Poetry

    2. Driving Away Bad Habits "Like Evil Men Who Have Long Done Us Great Harm" (Including Addictions)

      • Cassius
      • April 23, 2025 at 4:17 PM
      • Cassius
      • April 23, 2025 at 4:17 PM
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    2. "Absence Of Pain Is Pleasure" - How Would You Articulate That To Someone? 37

      • Eoghan Gardiner
      • April 16, 2025 at 5:22 PM
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      9.9k
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    4. Rolf

      April 16, 2025 at 5:22 PM

    2. The Argument That the Good Of Animals is Not the Same As The Good of Human Beings

      • Cassius
      • March 3, 2025 at 3:10 PM
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      302

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

      • Cassius
      • February 2, 2025 at 9:00 AM
      • Cassius
      • February 2, 2025 at 3:47 PM
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      1.1k
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    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
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      Views
      805
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    4. Don

      December 22, 2024 at 11:50 AM

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

      • Kalosyni
      • December 8, 2024 at 2:08 PM
    3. Replies
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      4.2k
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    4. Cassius

      December 8, 2024 at 2:08 PM

    2. A Fable on Unattainable Expectations 6

      • Pacatus
      • October 16, 2024 at 5:12 PM
      • Pacatus
      • November 22, 2024 at 11:32 AM
    3. Replies
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    4. Don

      November 22, 2024 at 11:32 AM

    2. Questions re Pleasure 2

      • Matteng
      • November 9, 2024 at 5:35 AM
      • Matteng
      • November 9, 2024 at 3:50 PM
    3. Replies
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      1.5k
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    4. Matteng

      November 9, 2024 at 3:50 PM

    2. Epicurean Golden Rule? 14

      • Pacatus
      • September 30, 2024 at 9:17 AM
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    4. Don

      September 30, 2024 at 9:17 AM

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

      • Kalosyni
      • September 9, 2024 at 6:56 AM
    3. Replies
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      2.1k
      4

    4. Cassius

      September 9, 2024 at 6:56 AM

    2. The Normal Curve of Pleasure 5

      • kochiekoch
      • July 23, 2024 at 5:59 PM
    3. Replies
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      1.9k
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    4. kochiekoch

      July 23, 2024 at 5:59 PM

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

      • Cassius
      • April 20, 2024 at 5:38 AM
      • Cassius
      • July 1, 2024 at 1:24 PM
    3. Replies
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      5.2k
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    4. Kalosyni

      July 1, 2024 at 1:24 PM

    2. Scientific Support for Psychological Hedonism 19

      • kochiekoch
      • April 23, 2024 at 8:04 PM
    3. Replies
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      4.9k
      19

    4. Little Rocker

      April 23, 2024 at 8:04 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

      • Cassius
      • February 26, 2024 at 4:43 PM
      • Cassius
      • February 29, 2024 at 12:22 AM
    3. Replies
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      2.8k
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    4. Don

      February 29, 2024 at 12:22 AM

    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

      • Cassius
      • February 26, 2024 at 4:51 PM
      • Cassius
      • February 26, 2024 at 10:48 PM
    3. Replies
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      2.1k
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    4. Don

      February 26, 2024 at 10:48 PM

    2. Is All "Ataraxia" Equal? 30

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

      February 19, 2024 at 12:29 PM

    2. Epicurus And Pleasure As The Awareness Of Smooth Motion 13

      • Cassius
      • February 6, 2024 at 12:24 PM
    3. Replies
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    4. Cassius

      February 6, 2024 at 12:24 PM

    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
    3. Replies
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      4.1k
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    4. Eikadistes

      January 27, 2024 at 5:25 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
    3. Replies
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      5.3k
      10

    4. DavidN

      January 26, 2024 at 7:24 PM

    2. Fundamental Issues In Hedonism 15

      • BrainToBeing
      • December 14, 2023 at 9:52 AM
    3. Replies
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      3.2k
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    4. Kalosyni

      December 14, 2023 at 9:52 AM

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

      • frank1syl
      • December 13, 2023 at 10:19 PM
    3. Replies
      33
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      7.7k
      33

    4. BrainToBeing

      December 13, 2023 at 10:19 PM

    2. Tips On Offsetting Pleasures Against Pains 24

      • Cassius
      • November 28, 2023 at 8:27 AM
      • Cassius
      • November 29, 2023 at 9:56 AM
    3. Replies
      24
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      6.1k
      24

    4. Cassius

      November 29, 2023 at 9:56 AM

    2. Perspectives On "Proving" That Pleasure is "The Good" 205

      • Todd
      • December 19, 2022 at 4:34 PM
      • Todd
      • November 28, 2023 at 1:28 PM
    3. Replies
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    4. Eoghan Gardiner

      November 28, 2023 at 1:28 PM

    2. List of Epicurean philosophical remedies

      • Kalosyni
      • November 8, 2023 at 10:52 AM
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    2. Would You Rather Live For A Week As (1) Epicurus During the Last Week of His Life or (2) An Anonymous Shepherd Laying In The Grass In The Summertime With No Pain At All? 104

      • Cassius
      • September 6, 2023 at 2:36 PM
      • Cassius
      • October 22, 2023 at 3:28 PM
    3. Replies
      104
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      23k
      104

    4. Pacatus

      October 22, 2023 at 3:28 PM

    2. Wikipedia on "Pleasure"

      • Kalosyni
      • October 18, 2023 at 6:24 PM
    3. Replies
      0
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      734

    2. Explaining Perspectives - Chart Of Whole Organism vs Discrete Feelings

      • Cassius
      • October 17, 2023 at 8:52 AM
      • Cassius
      • October 17, 2023 at 8:52 AM
    3. Replies
      0
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      656

    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
      29
      Views
      6.5k
      29

    4. Cassius

      October 7, 2023 at 8:22 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
    3. Replies
      13
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      5.5k
      13

    4. Cassius

      October 6, 2023 at 10:24 AM

    2. A Pleasant Life instead of Pleasure 7

      • EricR
      • August 4, 2023 at 8:14 AM
      • EricR
      • August 5, 2023 at 8:27 PM
    3. Replies
      7
      Views
      2.5k
      7

    4. Kalosyni

      August 5, 2023 at 8:27 PM

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Unread Threads

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    2. Who are capable of figuring the problem out 5

      • Patrikios
      • June 6, 2025 at 6:54 PM
    3. Replies
      5
      Views
      289
      5

    4. Patrikios

      June 6, 2025 at 6:54 PM

    2. What fears does modern science remove, as Epicurean physics did in antiquity? 31

      • sanantoniogarden
      • June 6, 2025 at 2:05 PM
    3. Replies
      31
      Views
      899
      31

    4. Don

      June 6, 2025 at 2:05 PM

    2. Porphyry - Letter to Marcella -"Vain Is the Word of the Philosopher..." 17

      • Cassius
      • June 3, 2025 at 11:17 PM
    3. Replies
      17
      Views
      5.8k
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    4. Bryan

      June 3, 2025 at 11:17 PM

    2. Daily life of ancient Epicureans / 21st Century Epicureans 38

      • Robert
      • May 29, 2025 at 1:44 PM
    3. Replies
      38
      Views
      2.8k
      38

    4. Pacatus

      May 29, 2025 at 1:44 PM

    2. Emily Austin's "LIving For Pleasure" Wins Award. (H/T to Lowri for finding this!)

      • Cassius
      • May 28, 2025 at 10:57 PM
    3. Replies
      0
      Views
      249