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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  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
  7. Uncategorized Section
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    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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      209
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    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
      27k
      104

    4. Pacatus

      October 22, 2023 at 3:28 PM

    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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      12k
      37

    4. Rolf

      April 16, 2025 at 5:22 PM

    2. Pleasure, Desire and Limits 36

      • Godfrey
      • July 20, 2022 at 8:34 PM
    3. Replies
      36
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      14k
      36

    4. Godfrey

      July 20, 2022 at 8:34 PM

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

      • Kalosyni
      • December 8, 2024 at 2:08 PM
    3. Replies
      34
      Views
      5.9k
      34

    4. Cassius

      December 8, 2024 at 2:08 PM

    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
      Views
      9.4k
      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
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      Views
      9.2k
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    4. Don

      March 31, 2023 at 10:10 AM

    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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      30

    4. Cassius

      February 19, 2024 at 12:29 PM

    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
    3. Replies
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      Views
      10k
      30

    4. Don

      February 10, 2023 at 11:02 PM

    2. Multiple Components Comprise the Epicurean Life 30

      • Kalosyni
      • October 23, 2021 at 1:53 PM
    3. Replies
      30
      Views
      10k
      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
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      12k
      30

    4. Cassius

      September 12, 2020 at 7:44 PM

    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
      8.2k
      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

      • Cassius
      • February 2, 2023 at 8:16 PM
      • Cassius
      • February 5, 2023 at 3:43 PM
    3. Replies
      28
      Views
      8.3k
      28

    4. Little Rocker

      February 5, 2023 at 3:43 PM

    2. Are You Epicurean Or Hieronymian? 26

      • Cassius
      • October 1, 2019 at 2:08 PM
      • Cassius
      • June 30, 2022 at 5:44 AM
    3. Replies
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    4. Cassius

      June 30, 2022 at 5:44 AM

    2. Is All Desire Painful? How Would Epicurus Answer? 25

      • Cassius
      • June 15, 2025 at 9:23 PM
    3. Replies
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      3.5k
      25

    4. TauPhi

      June 15, 2025 at 9:23 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
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      7.5k
      24

    4. Cassius

      November 29, 2023 at 9:56 AM

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

      • Kalosyni
      • July 6, 2025 at 10:14 AM
    3. Replies
      23
      Views
      1.8k
      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

      • Cassius
      • April 20, 2024 at 5:38 AM
      • Cassius
      • July 1, 2024 at 1:24 PM
    3. Replies
      22
      Views
      6.4k
      22

    4. Kalosyni

      July 1, 2024 at 1:24 PM

    2. How has the word epicurean come to mean excess? 22

      • ThinkingCat
      • May 19, 2023 at 6:50 PM
    3. Replies
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      Views
      8.3k
      22

    4. Cassius

      May 19, 2023 at 6:50 PM

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

      • Cassius
      • February 27, 2022 at 7:26 AM
      • Cassius
      • March 1, 2022 at 12:03 PM
    3. Replies
      22
      Views
      7.5k
      22

    4. Godfrey

      March 1, 2022 at 12:03 PM

    2. Scientific Support for Psychological Hedonism 19

      • kochiekoch
      • April 23, 2024 at 8:04 PM
    3. Replies
      19
      Views
      5.9k
      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 12, 2021 at 12:26 PM
    3. Replies
      16
      Views
      7.3k
      16

    4. A_Gardner

      July 12, 2021 at 12:26 PM

    2. Valueless Virtue in Modern Stoicism 16

      • Matt
      • January 10, 2019 at 8:48 AM
      • Matt
      • January 22, 2019 at 6:28 PM
    3. Replies
      16
      Views
      9.2k
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    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

      • Cassius
      • January 1, 2024 at 7:03 AM
      • Cassius
      • January 27, 2024 at 5:25 PM
    3. Replies
      15
      Views
      4.9k
      15

    4. Eikadistes

      January 27, 2024 at 5:25 PM

    2. Fundamental Issues In Hedonism 15

      • BrainToBeing
      • December 14, 2023 at 9:52 AM
    3. Replies
      15
      Views
      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
      5.4k
      15

    4. Sid

      October 10, 2022 at 5:11 AM

    2. Epicurean Freedom. Enslavement by culture. The mob. 15

      • Harrington Andros
      • May 14, 2018 at 12:11 PM
    3. Replies
      15
      Views
      9.6k
      15

    4. Hiram

      May 14, 2018 at 12:11 PM

    2. Epicurean Golden Rule? 14

      • Pacatus
      • September 30, 2024 at 9:17 AM
    3. Replies
      14
      Views
      4.8k
      14

    4. Don

      September 30, 2024 at 9:17 AM

    2. An Epicurean "Sanity Check" 14

      • Cassius
      • February 2, 2019 at 11:55 PM
      • Cassius
      • February 5, 2019 at 8:20 AM
    3. Replies
      14
      Views
      7.5k
      14

    4. Cassius

      February 5, 2019 at 8:20 AM

    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
      Views
      6.5k
      13

    4. Cassius

      October 6, 2023 at 10:24 AM

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    2. Immutability of Epicurean school in ancient times 11

      • TauPhi
      • July 29, 2025 at 2:14 PM
    3. Replies
      11
      Views
      402
      11

    4. Eikadistes

      July 29, 2025 at 2:14 PM

    2. Recorded Statements of Metrodorus 11

      • Cassius
      • July 28, 2025 at 7:23 PM
    3. Replies
      11
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      394
      11

    4. Cassius

      July 28, 2025 at 7:23 PM

    2. Philodemus' "On Anger" - General - Texts and Resources 20

      • Cassius
      • July 8, 2025 at 7:33 AM
    3. Replies
      20
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      7.5k
      20

    4. Kalosyni

      July 8, 2025 at 7:33 AM

    2. Mocking Epithets 3

      • Bryan
      • July 6, 2025 at 9:47 PM
    3. Replies
      3
      Views
      617
      3

    4. Bryan

      July 6, 2025 at 9:47 PM

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