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
  7. Ethics - How to Live As An Epicurean
  8. Epicurean Historical Figures - Biographies of Epicureans from Epicurus To The Present
  9. Ancient Epicurean Texts (300 BC to 300 AD)
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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. Epicurean Freedom. Enslavement by culture. The mob. 15

      • Harrington Andros
      • May 14, 2018 at 12:11 PM
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    4. Hiram

      May 14, 2018 at 12:11 PM

    2. Epicurean Golden Rule? 14

      • Pacatus
      • September 30, 2024 at 9:17 AM
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      4.1k
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    4. Don

      September 30, 2024 at 9:17 AM

    2. Epicurean virtues listed by importance 8

      • godek
      • January 28, 2019 at 8:45 PM
      • godek
      • February 1, 2019 at 7:47 AM
    3. Replies
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      4.6k
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    4. Cassius

      February 1, 2019 at 7:47 AM

    2. Epicureanism Vs Asceticism 8

      • Hiram
      • March 12, 2019 at 9:44 AM
      • Hiram
      • March 14, 2019 at 1:37 PM
    3. Replies
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      5.3k
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    4. Cassius

      March 14, 2019 at 1:37 PM

    2. Epicureans On Kingship 15

      • Cassius
      • August 2, 2022 at 10:16 AM
      • Cassius
      • October 10, 2022 at 5:11 AM
    3. Replies
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    4. Sid

      October 10, 2022 at 5:11 AM

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

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

      February 6, 2024 at 12:24 PM

    2. Epicurus On Money, And A Connection With Limits Referenced By A Modern Philosopher 2

      • Cassius
      • June 11, 2021 at 9:42 AM
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    4. Cassius

      June 11, 2021 at 9:42 AM

    2. 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
    3. Replies
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      1.7k
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    4. Cassius

      February 5, 2019 at 7:04 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
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      5.4k
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    4. Kalosyni

      July 1, 2024 at 1:24 PM

    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
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      674

    2. From Elli: ""And the pleasure which we daily feel in all these things helps us to banish any sorrow." - Pericles the Athenian.

      • Cassius
      • January 6, 2021 at 10:27 AM
      • Cassius
      • January 6, 2021 at 10:27 AM
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      914

    2. Fundamental Issues In Hedonism 15

      • BrainToBeing
      • December 14, 2023 at 9:52 AM
    3. Replies
      15
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      3.3k
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    4. Kalosyni

      December 14, 2023 at 9:52 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
      4
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      2.2k
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    4. Don

      February 26, 2024 at 10:48 PM

    2. Graphic - Cassius To Cicero - A Question of Word Choice 2

      • Cassius
      • February 11, 2018 at 8:53 AM
      • Cassius
      • February 11, 2018 at 9:50 AM
    3. Replies
      2
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      3k
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    4. Cassius

      February 11, 2018 at 9:50 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
      4
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      2.1k
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    4. Cassius

      September 9, 2024 at 6:56 AM

    2. 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
    3. Replies
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      3.8k
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    4. Hiram

      December 17, 2018 at 12:22 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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    4. Cassius

      May 19, 2023 at 6:50 PM

    2. How To Turn Epicurean Philosophy On Its Head As Quickly As Possible - A Quick Comment on Mark 12 3

      • Cassius
      • December 21, 2018 at 8:58 AM
      • Cassius
      • December 21, 2018 at 3:22 PM
    3. Replies
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    4. Matt

      December 21, 2018 at 3:22 PM

    2. How would you respond to an existentialist who says "You Epicureans have chosen pleasure as your meaning but it's not universal" do Epicureans hold that pleasure is the universal Good? 13

      • Eoghan Gardiner
      • June 15, 2023 at 12:36 AM
    3. Replies
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    4. Root304

      June 15, 2023 at 12:36 AM

    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
    3. Replies
      0
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      775

    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. 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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      2.9k
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    4. Don

      February 29, 2024 at 12:22 AM

    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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    4. Don

      March 31, 2023 at 10:10 AM

    2. Inferential Foundations of Epicurean Ethics by David Sedley 1

      • Godfrey
      • June 3, 2021 at 4:47 PM
    3. Replies
      1
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    4. Cassius

      June 3, 2021 at 4:47 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
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      8.9k
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    4. Cassius

      February 19, 2024 at 12:29 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 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
      30
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      9.4k
      30

    4. Don

      February 10, 2023 at 11:02 PM

    2. List of Epicurean philosophical remedies

      • Kalosyni
      • November 8, 2023 at 10:52 AM
    3. Replies
      0
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      820

    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. 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
    3. Replies
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      1.7k

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    2. Does The Wise Man Groan and Cry Out When On The Rack / Under Torture / In Extreme Pain? 12

      • Cassius
      • June 17, 2025 at 10:15 PM
    3. Replies
      12
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      886
      12

    4. Don

      June 17, 2025 at 10:15 PM

    2. New Translation of Epicurus' Works 1

      • Eikadistes
      • June 16, 2025 at 6:32 PM
    3. Replies
      1
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      192
      1

    4. Cassius

      June 16, 2025 at 6:32 PM

    2. Superstition and Friday the 13th 6

      • Kalosyni
      • June 16, 2025 at 3:40 PM
    3. Replies
      6
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      344
      6

    4. Eikadistes

      June 16, 2025 at 3:40 PM

    2. Epicurean Emporium 9

      • Eikadistes
      • June 16, 2025 at 3:37 PM
    3. Replies
      9
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      1.7k
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    4. Eikadistes

      June 16, 2025 at 3:37 PM

    2. The Religion of Nature - as supported by Lucretius' De Rerum Natura 2

      • Kalosyni
      • June 16, 2025 at 11:42 AM
    3. Replies
      2
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      293
      2

    4. Kalosyni

      June 16, 2025 at 11:42 AM