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.
Latest Lucretius Today Podcast 305: "Shall We Stoically Be A Spectator To Life And Content Ourselves With 'Virtue'?" | Things To Know When First Reading Epicurus: The Epicurean Paradigm Shift | Featured Videos | Community Standards And Posting Policies |
We are now requiring that new registrants confirm their request for an account by email. Once you complete the "Sign Up" process to set up your user name and password, please send an email to the New Accounts Administator to obtain new account approval.
Welcome to the EpicureanFriends Forums page. Please be sure that all posts conform to our policies for posting as linked at our Terms of Use page. Scroll down to navigate through the full forum. Or you can: Search by forum Tag -or- Search by Forum Shortcuts Page -or- check out our List of Featured Threads -or- from any sub-forum you can return to the main Forum Board List. Not sure where to post? Read our guidance on where to post.
List Of Frequently Used Forums
- Ancient Epicurean Texts (300 BC to 300 AD)
 - The Lucretius Today Podcast and other Projects
 - Study Resources and Activism
 - Physics - The Nature of the Universe
 - Canonics - The Tests of Truth: The Five Senses, Anticipations, and Feelings of Pleasure and Pain
 - Ethics - How to Live As An Epicurean
 - Uncategorized Section
 - Epicurean Books, Articles, and Videos (1500's - Present)
 - Epicurean Historical Figures - Biographies of Epicureans from Epicurus To The Present
 - Comparisons With Non-Epicurean Philosophies
 - History, Locations, and Customs Relevant to Ancient Epicureans
 - Epicurean Symbolism in Art, Music, Literature, and Poetry
 - Level 03 And Above Discussions
 - EpicureanFriends Zoom Meetings
 
- 
		
- 
				
 - 
					
					
					
Understanding of good vs. bad desires? 1
- Hiram
 February 13, 2019 at 6:54 AM 
- Hiram
 February 13, 2019 at 9:09 AM 
 - 
											
- Replies
 - 1
 
- Views
 - 1.9k
 
1  
 - 
				
 - 
		
- 
				
 - 
					
					
					
Could #Epicurus save us? A #philosophy of #pleasure could cure our modern ills 1
- Hiram
 March 5, 2019 at 5:06 PM 
- Hiram
 March 5, 2019 at 5:59 PM 
 - 
											
- Replies
 - 1
 
- Views
 - 1.7k
 
1  
 - 
				
 - 
		
- 
				
 - 
					
					
					
Epicureanism Vs Asceticism 8
- Hiram
 March 12, 2019 at 9:44 AM 
- Hiram
 March 14, 2019 at 1:37 PM 
 - 
											
- Replies
 - 8
 
- Views
 - 6.4k
 
8  
 - 
				
 - 
		
- 
				
 - 
					
					
					
Empathy vs pleasure 1
- azbcethananderson
 May 24, 2020 at 12:17 PM 
- azbcethananderson
 May 24, 2020 at 2:27 PM 
 - 
											
- Replies
 - 1
 
- Views
 - 1.8k
 
1  
 - 
				
 - 
		
- 
				

 - 
					
					
					
On "Desires" And Their Relationship To Pleasure 30
- Godfrey
 September 10, 2020 at 2:53 PM 
- Godfrey
 September 12, 2020 at 7:44 PM 
 - 
											
- Replies
 - 30
 
- Views
 - 13k
 
30  
 - 
				
 - 
		
- 
				

 - 
					
					
					
Inferential Foundations of Epicurean Ethics by David Sedley 1
- Godfrey
 June 3, 2021 at 4:18 PM 
- Godfrey
 June 3, 2021 at 4:47 PM 
 - 
											
- Replies
 - 1
 
- Views
 - 1.6k
 
1  
 - 
				
 - 
		
- 
				

 - 
					
					
					
Epicurus On Money, And A Connection With Limits Referenced By A Modern Philosopher 2
- Cassius
 June 11, 2021 at 8:29 AM 
- Cassius
 June 11, 2021 at 9:42 AM 
 - 
											
- Replies
 - 2
 
- Views
 - 2.2k
 
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 
 - 
											
- Replies
 - 16
 
- Views
 - 8.2k
 
16  
 - 
				
 - 
		
- 
				

 - 
					
					
					
To What Extent Is This Consistent With Epicurean Ethics: "Life is Short - Life Passionately"
- Cassius
 October 6, 2021 at 4:08 PM 
- Cassius
 October 6, 2021 at 4:08 PM 
 - 
											
- Replies
 - 0
 
- Views
 - 983
 
 
 - 
				
 - 
		
- 
				

 - 
					
					
					
Epicureans On Kingship 15
- Cassius
 August 2, 2022 at 10:16 AM 
- Cassius
 October 10, 2022 at 5:11 AM 
 - 
											
- Replies
 - 15
 
- Views
 - 6.4k
 
15  
 - 
				
 - 
		
- 
				

 - 
					
					
					
Epicurus And Pleasure As The Awareness Of Smooth Motion 13
- Cassius
 May 10, 2023 at 9:18 AM 
- Cassius
 February 6, 2024 at 12:24 PM 
 - 
											
- Replies
 - 13
 
- Views
 - 4.7k
 
13  
 - 
				
 - 
		
- 
				

 - 
					
					
					
"Living Life Full Measure" as an Epicurean Metaphor 3
- Cassius
 May 14, 2023 at 1:40 PM 
- Cassius
 May 15, 2023 at 2:28 PM 
 - 
											
- Replies
 - 3
 
- Views
 - 1.5k
 
3  
 - 
				
 - 
		
- 
				

 - 
					
					
					
Social feelings/actions to not-friends(or strangers, animals) (Philantropy /compassion /sympathy / kindness / charity /) 4
- Matteng
 May 17, 2023 at 4:50 AM 
- Matteng
 May 17, 2023 at 11:00 AM 
 - 
											
- Replies
 - 4
 
- Views
 - 2.6k
 
4  
 - 
				
 - 
		
- 
				

 - 
					
					
					
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 
 - 
											
- Replies
 - 104
 
- Views
 - 33k
 
104  
 - 
				
 - 
		
- 
				

 - 
					
					
					
"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 
 - 
											
- Replies
 - 37
 
- Views
 - 16k
 
37  
 - 
				
 - 
		
- 
				

 - 
					
					
					
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 
 - 
											
- Replies
 - 0
 
- Views
 - 949
 
 
 - 
				
 - 
		
- 
				

 - 
					
					
					
Is All "Ataraxia" Equal? 30
- Cassius
 November 18, 2023 at 7:47 PM 
- Cassius
 February 19, 2024 at 12:29 PM 
 - 
											
- Replies
 - 30
 
- Views
 - 11k
 
30  
 - 
				
 - 
		
- 
				

 - 
					
					
					
Maximum pleasure as absence of all pain: a philosophical question concerning neuroscientific and Epicurean outlook toward the feeling of pleasure 10
- shahabgh66
 January 20, 2024 at 4:26 AM 
- shahabgh66
 January 26, 2024 at 7:24 PM 
 - 
											
- Replies
 - 10
 
- Views
 - 7.8k
 
10  
 - 
				
 - 
		
- 
				

 - 
					
					
					
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 
 - 
											
- Replies
 - 4
 
- Views
 - 1.7k
 
4  
 - 
				
 - 
		
- 
				

 - 
					
					
					
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 
 - 
											
- Replies
 - 0
 
- Views
 - 1.4k
 
 
 - 
				
 - 
		
- 
				

 - 
					
					
					
The Meaning of Eudaemonia - "Good Demon" 1
- Cassius
 January 22, 2018 at 9:56 AM 
- Cassius
 January 22, 2018 at 10:50 AM 
 - 
											
- Replies
 - 1
 
- Views
 - 4.5k
 
1  
 - 
				
 - 
		
- 
				

 - 
					
					
					
Criticisms of An Article Entitled "Epicurean Pleasure" (October 1, 2018) 4
- Cassius
 October 2, 2018 at 9:28 AM 
- Cassius
 October 9, 2018 at 8:40 AM 
 - 
											
- Replies
 - 4
 
- Views
 - 3.4k
 
4  
 - 
				
 - 
		
- 
				

 - 
					
					
					
My Best Summary As Of November 2018
- Cassius
 November 2, 2018 at 7:01 AM 
- Cassius
 November 2, 2018 at 7:01 AM 
 - 
											
- Replies
 - 0
 
- Views
 - 1.4k
 
 
 - 
				
 - 
		
- 
				

 - 
					
					
					
Major Controversies In Understanding Epicurean Philosophy
- Cassius
 December 11, 2018 at 2:25 AM 
- Cassius
 December 11, 2018 at 2:25 AM 
 - 
											
- Replies
 - 0
 
- Views
 - 2.4k
 
 
 - 
				
 - 
		
- 
				
 - 
					
					
					
Hiram Crespo on The Pursuit of Happiness, Epicurean Philosophy, and Changing Your Mindset 6
- Hiram
 December 14, 2018 at 2:23 PM 
- Hiram
 December 17, 2018 at 12:22 PM 
 - 
											
- Replies
 - 6
 
- Views
 - 4.5k
 
6  
 - 
				
 - 
		
- 
				
 - 
					
					
					
Why was Epicurus condemned to the sixth circle of hell in Dante's Divine Comedy? 4
- Hiram
 January 7, 2019 at 10:55 AM 
- Hiram
 August 16, 2025 at 10:10 PM 
 - 
											
- Replies
 - 4
 
- Views
 - 4.7k
 
4  
 - 
				
 - 
		
- 
				

 - 
					
					
					
A Place to Start
- Cassius
 January 21, 2019 at 4:41 PM 
- Cassius
 January 21, 2019 at 4:41 PM 
 - 
											
- Replies
 - 0
 
- Views
 - 938
 
 
 - 
				
 - 
		
- 
				
 - 
					
					
					
We are All Born Hedonists 1
- Hiram
 January 27, 2019 at 11:39 AM 
- Hiram
 January 27, 2019 at 12:01 PM 
 - 
											
- Replies
 - 1
 
- Views
 - 1.6k
 
1  
 - 
				
 - 
		
- 
				
 - 
					
					
					
Episode 208: Epicurus on Seeking Pleasure (Part Two) 1
- Hiram
 February 4, 2019 at 3:12 PM 
- Hiram
 February 5, 2019 at 7:04 AM 
 - 
											
- Replies
 - 1
 
- Views
 - 1.9k
 
1  
 - 
				
 - 
		
- 
				

 - 
					
					
					
On The Relationship of Eudaemonia And Pleasure
- Cassius
 July 10, 2019 at 7:02 AM 
- Cassius
 July 10, 2019 at 7:02 AM 
 - 
											
- Replies
 - 0
 
- Views
 - 1.2k
 
 
 - 
				
 
Finding Things At EpicureanFriends.com
What's the best strategy for finding things on EpicureanFriends.com? Here's a suggested search strategy:
- First, familiarize yourself with the list of forums. The best way to find threads related to a particular topic is to look in the relevant forum. Over the years most people have tried to start threads according to forum topic, and we regularly move threads from our "general discussion" area over to forums with more descriptive titles.
 - Use the "Search" facility at the top right of every page. Note that the search box asks you what section of the forum you'd like to search. If you don't know, select "Everywhere." Also check the "Search Assistance" page.
 - Use the "Tag" facility, starting with the "Key Tags By Topic" in the right hand navigation pane, or using the "Search By Tag" page, or the "Tag Overview" page which contains a list of all tags alphabetically. We curate the available tags to keep them to a manageable number that is descriptive of frequently-searched topics.