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 358 — "The Hypocrisy And Darkness of Academic Skepticism"

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1. - Replies
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2. Perspectives On "Proving" That Pleasure is "The Good" 209
  - 2
  - Todd
  - December 19, 2022 at 4:34 PM
  - Todd
  - July 15, 2025 at 12:11 PM
3. Replies
  
  209
  
  Views
  
  84k
  
  209
4. Matteng
  July 15, 2025 at 12:11 PM
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
  
  Views
  
  46k
  
  104
4. Pacatus
  October 22, 2023 at 3:28 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
  
  4.2k
  
  39
4. Todd
  May 22, 2026 at 1:06 PM
2. "Absence Of Pain Is Pleasure" - How Would You Articulate That To Someone? 37
  - Eoghan Gardiner
  - November 15, 2023 at 9:32 AM
  - Eoghan Gardiner
  - April 16, 2025 at 5:22 PM
3. Replies
  
  37
  
  Views
  
  27k
  
  37
4. Rolf
  April 16, 2025 at 5:22 PM
2. Pleasure, Desire and Limits 36
  - 3
  - Godfrey
  - July 17, 2022 at 9:25 PM
  - Godfrey
  - July 20, 2022 at 8:34 PM
3. Replies
  
  36
  
  Views
  
  26k
  
  36
4. Godfrey
  July 20, 2022 at 8:34 PM
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
  
  14k
  
  34
4. Cassius
  December 8, 2024 at 2:08 PM
2. Mental pleasure/pain more intense and longer lasting than physical pleasure/pain 33
  - 1
  - frank1syl
  - December 5, 2023 at 11:15 AM
  - frank1syl
  - December 13, 2023 at 10:19 PM
3. Replies
  
  33
  
  Views
  
  18k
  
  33
4. BrainToBeing
  December 13, 2023 at 10:19 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
3. Replies
  
  33
  
  Views
  
  16k
  
  33
4. Don
  March 31, 2023 at 10:10 AM
2. Hypotheticals: Would An Epicurean Hook Himself Up To An "Experience Machine" or a "Pleasure Machine"? 32
  - 2
  - Cassius
  - March 23, 2020 at 2:05 AM
  - Cassius
  - December 6, 2025 at 2:41 PM
3. Replies
  
  32
  
  Views
  
  25k
  
  32
4. kochiekoch
  December 6, 2025 at 2:41 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
  
  30
  
  Views
  
  17k
  
  30
4. Cassius
  February 19, 2024 at 12:29 PM
2. Is pleasure as the natural goal of life falsifiable? 30
  - 1
  - waterholic
  - December 8, 2022 at 6:08 AM
  - waterholic
  - February 10, 2023 at 11:02 PM
3. Replies
  
  30
  
  Views
  
  17k
  
  30
4. Don
  February 10, 2023 at 11:02 PM
2. Multiple Components Comprise the Epicurean Life 30
  - 1
  - Kalosyni
  - October 21, 2021 at 7:59 PM
  - Kalosyni
  - October 23, 2021 at 1:53 PM
3. Replies
  
  30
  
  Views
  
  18k
  
  30
4. Godfrey
  October 23, 2021 at 1:53 PM
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
3. Replies
  
  30
  
  Views
  
  17k
  
  30
4. Cassius
  September 12, 2020 at 7:44 PM
2. If Death Is Nothing To Us, Then Life Is Everything to Us 29
  - 1
  - Cassius
  - October 7, 2023 at 12:06 AM
  - Cassius
  - October 7, 2023 at 8:22 PM
3. Replies
  
  29
  
  Views
  
  15k
  
  29
4. Cassius
  October 7, 2023 at 8:22 PM
2. We Need A Game Show With A Lightning Round Question: "Happiness or Pleasure? - Why?" 28
  - 1
  - Cassius
  - February 2, 2023 at 8:16 PM
  - Cassius
  - February 5, 2023 at 3:43 PM
3. Replies
  
  28
  
  Views
  
  13k
  
  28
4. Little Rocker
  February 5, 2023 at 3:43 PM
2. Are You Epicurean Or Hieronymian? 26
  - 1
  - Cassius
  - October 1, 2019 at 2:08 PM
  - Cassius
  - June 30, 2022 at 5:44 AM
3. Replies
  
  26
  
  Views
  
  23k
  
  26
4. Cassius
  June 30, 2022 at 5:44 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
  
  9.7k
  
  25
4. TauPhi
  June 15, 2025 at 9:23 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
  
  5.3k
  
  24
4. Don
  May 3, 2026 at 3:59 PM
2. Tips On Offsetting Pleasures Against Pains 24
  - 1
  - Cassius
  - November 28, 2023 at 8:27 AM
  - Cassius
  - November 29, 2023 at 9:56 AM
3. Replies
  
  24
  
  Views
  
  13k
  
  24
4. Cassius
  November 29, 2023 at 9:56 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
  
  2.6k
  
  23
4. Kalosyni
  July 8, 2026 at 9:31 AM
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
  
  8.1k
  
  23
4. Patrikios
  July 6, 2025 at 10:14 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
  
  12k
  
  22
4. Kalosyni
  July 1, 2024 at 1:24 PM
2. How has the word epicurean come to mean excess? 22
  - 3
  - ThinkingCat
  - May 13, 2023 at 9:24 AM
  - ThinkingCat
  - May 19, 2023 at 6:50 PM
3. Replies
  
  22
  
  Views
  
  20k
  
  22
4. Cassius
  May 19, 2023 at 6:50 PM
2. As to the Term "Hedonic Calculus" or the "Calculus of Advantage" 22
  - 1
  - Cassius
  - February 27, 2022 at 7:26 AM
  - Cassius
  - March 1, 2022 at 12:03 PM
3. Replies
  
  22
  
  Views
  
  12k
  
  22
4. Godfrey
  March 1, 2022 at 12:03 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. Would There Be Benefit In Adapting the "Benjamin Franklin Journaling Model" To Our Discussion of Practical Exercises? 16
  - Cassius
  - July 8, 2021 at 11:07 AM
  - Cassius
  - July 12, 2021 at 12:26 PM
3. Replies
  
  16
  
  Views
  
  11k
  
  16
4. A_Gardner
  July 12, 2021 at 12:26 PM
2. Valueless Virtue in Modern Stoicism 16
  - 3
  - Matt
  - January 10, 2019 at 8:48 AM
  - Matt
  - January 22, 2019 at 6:28 PM
3. Replies
  
  16
  
  Views
  
  13k
  
  16
4. Condorcet
  January 22, 2019 at 6:28 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
  - 3
  - Cassius
  - January 1, 2024 at 7:03 AM
  - Cassius
  - January 27, 2024 at 5:25 PM
3. Replies
  
  15
  
  Views
  
  8.7k
  
  15
4. Eikadistes
  January 27, 2024 at 5:25 PM
2. Fundamental Issues In Hedonism 15
  - 1
  - BrainToBeing
  - December 10, 2023 at 8:18 AM
  - BrainToBeing
  - December 14, 2023 at 9:52 AM
3. Replies
  
  15
  
  Views
  
  8.4k
  
  15
4. Kalosyni
  December 14, 2023 at 9:52 AM
2. Epicureans On Kingship 15
  - Cassius
  - August 2, 2022 at 10:16 AM
  - Cassius
  - October 10, 2022 at 5:11 AM
3. Replies
  
  15
  
  Views
  
  9.1k
  
  15
4. Sid
  October 10, 2022 at 5:11 AM

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

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

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

"Absence Of Pain Is Pleasure" - How Would You Articulate That To Someone? 37

Pleasure, Desire and Limits 36

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

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

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

Hypotheticals: Would An Epicurean Hook Himself Up To An "Experience Machine" or a "Pleasure Machine"? 32

Is All "Ataraxia" Equal? 30

Is pleasure as the natural goal of life falsifiable? 30

Multiple Components Comprise the Epicurean Life 30

On "Desires" And Their Relationship To Pleasure 30

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

We Need A Game Show With A Lightning Round Question: "Happiness or Pleasure? - Why?" 28

Are You Epicurean Or Hieronymian? 26

Is All Desire Painful? How Would Epicurus Answer? 25

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

Tips On Offsetting Pleasures Against Pains 24

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

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

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

How has the word epicurean come to mean excess? 22

As to the Term "Hedonic Calculus" or the "Calculus of Advantage" 22

Scientific Support for Psychological Hedonism 19

Would There Be Benefit In Adapting the "Benjamin Franklin Journaling Model" To Our Discussion of Practical Exercises? 16

Valueless Virtue in Modern Stoicism 16

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

Fundamental Issues In Hedonism 15

Epicureans On Kingship 15

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