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.

Regularly Checking In On A Small Screen Device? Bookmark THIS page!

Featured Videos | Latest Lucretius Today Podcast: #277 - "Platonism Says This World Is Darkness and the Next World Is Light - Epicurus Disagrees! " | Member Announcements | The Epicurean Paradigm Shift

Welcome to the EpicureanFriends Forums. Please be sure that all posts conform to our policies for posting as linked at our Terms of Use page. For your convenience we have a list of Featured Threads, and our top-level forum sections are as follows. Click on any heading in this first "short-cut" list or scroll further down for the full forum. Click here to jump back to the main Forum Board List.  To search for a forum by Tag, click here. Also check out our Forum Shortcuts Page.

List Of Frequently Used Forums
  1. General Information And Discussion - Start Here
  2. Private Section - Includes Level 03 And Above Discussions and 20th Zoom Meeting
  3. The Lucretius Today Podcast and other Projects
  4. EpicureanFriends Zoom Meetings, Outreach, and Activism
  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)
  10. Epicurean Books, Articles, and Videos (1500's - Present)
  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. Sedley paper on Plato with interesting Epicurean implications 2

      • Don
      • April 30, 2022 at 7:32 AM
      • Don
      • April 30, 2022 at 9:35 AM
    3. Replies
      2
      Views
      1.5k
      2

    4. Don

      April 30, 2022 at 9:35 AM

    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
      26
      Views
      12k
      26

    4. Cassius

      June 30, 2022 at 5:44 AM

    2. Pleasure, Desire and Limits 36

      • Godfrey
      • July 20, 2022 at 8:34 PM
    3. Replies
      36
      Views
      11k
      36

    4. Godfrey

      July 20, 2022 at 8:34 PM

    2. “How Epicurean Science Saves Humanity” 3

      • Pacatus
      • September 8, 2022 at 6:13 PM
      • Pacatus
      • September 8, 2022 at 6:54 PM
    3. Replies
      3
      Views
      1.5k
      3

    4. Cassius

      September 8, 2022 at 6:54 PM

    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
      4.3k
      15

    4. Sid

      October 10, 2022 at 5:11 AM

    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
      6.5k
      28

    4. Little Rocker

      February 5, 2023 at 3:43 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
      30
      Views
      8.5k
      30

    4. Don

      February 10, 2023 at 11:02 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
      7.2k
      33

    4. Don

      March 31, 2023 at 10:10 AM

    2. "Living Life Full Measure" as an Epicurean Metaphor 3

      • Cassius
      • May 15, 2023 at 2:28 PM
    3. Replies
      3
      Views
      971
      3

    4. Pacatus

      May 15, 2023 at 2:28 PM

    2. Social feelings/actions to not-friends(or strangers, animals) (Philantropy /compassion /sympathy / kindness / charity /) 4

      • Matteng
      • May 17, 2023 at 11:00 AM
    3. Replies
      4
      Views
      1.6k
      4

    4. Joshua

      May 17, 2023 at 11:00 AM

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

      • ThinkingCat
      • May 19, 2023 at 6:50 PM
    3. Replies
      22
      Views
      6.6k
      22

    4. Cassius

      May 19, 2023 at 6:50 PM

    2. Pleasure vs pain - example and thoughts! 10

      • ThinkingCat
      • May 21, 2023 at 9:08 PM
    3. Replies
      10
      Views
      3k
      10

    4. Don

      May 21, 2023 at 9:08 PM

    2. Ruminations on leading with “Pleasure and Pain as the Guide” v “The Goal is Pleasure” 4

      • Godfrey
      • June 9, 2023 at 7:07 AM
    3. Replies
      4
      Views
      2k
      4

    4. Cassius

      June 9, 2023 at 7:07 AM

    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
      13
      Views
      3.5k
      13

    4. Root304

      June 15, 2023 at 12:36 AM

    2. Desiderata 2

      • Pacatus
      • August 2, 2023 at 7:02 PM
      • Pacatus
      • August 2, 2023 at 7:45 PM
    3. Replies
      2
      Views
      1k
      2

    4. Pacatus

      August 2, 2023 at 7:45 PM

    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
      2.3k
      7

    4. Kalosyni

      August 5, 2023 at 8:27 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
      Views
      5k
      13

    4. Cassius

      October 6, 2023 at 10:24 AM

    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
      5.7k
      29

    4. Cassius

      October 7, 2023 at 8:22 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
      0
      Views
      584

    2. Wikipedia on "Pleasure"

      • Kalosyni
      • October 18, 2023 at 6:24 PM
    3. Replies
      0
      Views
      685

    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
      21k
      104

    4. Pacatus

      October 22, 2023 at 3:28 PM

    2. List of Epicurean philosophical remedies

      • Kalosyni
      • November 8, 2023 at 10:52 AM
    3. Replies
      0
      Views
      728

    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
      205
      Views
      35k
      205

    4. Eoghan Gardiner

      November 28, 2023 at 1:28 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
      Views
      5.5k
      24

    4. Cassius

      November 29, 2023 at 9:56 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
      Views
      7k
      33

    4. BrainToBeing

      December 13, 2023 at 10:19 PM

    2. Fundamental Issues In Hedonism 15

      • BrainToBeing
      • December 14, 2023 at 9:52 AM
    3. Replies
      15
      Views
      2.9k
      15

    4. Kalosyni

      December 14, 2023 at 9:52 AM

    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
      10
      Views
      4.8k
      10

    4. DavidN

      January 26, 2024 at 7:24 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
      15
      Views
      3.7k
      15

    4. Eikadistes

      January 27, 2024 at 5:25 PM

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

      • Cassius
      • February 6, 2024 at 12:24 PM
    3. Replies
      13
      Views
      2.8k
      13

    4. Cassius

      February 6, 2024 at 12:24 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
      7.9k
      30

    4. Cassius

      February 19, 2024 at 12:29 PM

Display Options

Unread Threads

    1. Title
    2. Replies
    3. Last Reply

    2. Epicurean Philosophy In Relation To Gulags and the Rack 5

      • Cassius
      • April 30, 2025 at 7:42 AM
    3. Replies
      5
      Views
      377
      5

    4. Cassius

      April 30, 2025 at 7:42 AM

    2. The “Absence of Pain” Problem 11

      • Rolf
      • April 29, 2025 at 9:41 PM
    3. Replies
      11
      Views
      708
      11

    4. Al-Hakiim von Grof

      April 29, 2025 at 9:41 PM

    2. Epicurean philosophy skewing toward elements of Stoicism in the time of Lucretius?? 9

      • Kalosyni
      • April 29, 2025 at 12:36 AM
    3. Replies
      9
      Views
      466
      9

    4. Godfrey

      April 29, 2025 at 12:36 AM

    2. Preconceptions and PD24 42

      • Eikadistes
      • April 27, 2025 at 9:27 AM
    3. Replies
      42
      Views
      13k
      42

    4. Eikadistes

      April 27, 2025 at 9:27 AM

    2. The Use of Negation in Epicurean Philosophy Concepts 47

      • Kalosyni
      • April 26, 2025 at 6:04 PM
    3. Replies
      47
      Views
      2k
      47

    4. Elli

      April 26, 2025 at 6:04 PM