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: Episode 318 - "In the End It Is Pleasure - Not Virtue - Which Gives Meaning To A Happy Life"  | Website Overview | Forum Navigation Map       

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. -----Scroll down to navigate through the forum. ----- You can also: Search by Forum Tags / Search by Forum Shortcuts / Read Featured Threads / Return to Main Forum Board. Not sure where to post? Read our guidance on where to post. To see reference material (and more) visit our Website Navigation Page.

List Of Frequently Used Forums
  1. Ancient Epicurean Texts (300 BC to 300 AD)
  2. The Lucretius Today Podcast and other Projects
  3. Study Resources and Activism
  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
  8. Epicurean Books, Articles, and Videos (1500's - Present)
  9. Epicurean Historical Figures - Biographies of Epicureans from Epicurus To The Present
  10. Comparisons With Non-Epicurean Philosophies
  11. History, Locations, and Customs Relevant to Ancient Epicureans
  12. Epicurean Symbolism in Art, Music, Literature, and Poetry
  13. Level 03 And Above Discussions
  14. EpicureanFriends Zoom Meetings

    2. Spitting Upon the Beautiful... 3

      • Adrastus
      • October 24, 2025 at 4:06 PM
    3. Replies
      3
      Views
      705
      3

    4. Cassius

      October 24, 2025 at 4:06 PM

    2. Empathy vs pleasure 1

      • azbcethananderson
      • May 24, 2020 at 2:27 PM
    3. Replies
      1
      Views
      2k
      1

    4. Don

      May 24, 2020 at 2:27 PM

    2. Fundamental Issues In Hedonism 15

      • BrainToBeing
      • December 14, 2023 at 9:52 AM
    3. Replies
      15
      Views
      6k
      15

    4. Kalosyni

      December 14, 2023 at 9:52 AM

    2. Pathe - Notes On Usage

      • Cassius
      • June 8, 2015 at 11:35 AM
    3. Replies
      0
      Views
      1.8k

    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
      0
      Views
      1.9k

    2. Doubt is Unpleasant, But It's Not Your Worst Enemy

      • Cassius
      • December 20, 2015 at 11:56 AM
      • Cassius
      • December 20, 2015 at 11:56 AM
    3. Replies
      0
      Views
      2.4k

    2. A Discussion Of Eudaemonia - Extracted from the Facebook Group

      • Cassius
      • February 26, 2016 at 6:16 PM
      • Cassius
      • February 26, 2016 at 6:16 PM
    3. Replies
      0
      Views
      2.1k

    2. The Full Cup / Fullness of Pleasure Model

      • Cassius
      • February 17, 2017 at 8:02 PM
      • Cassius
      • February 17, 2017 at 8:02 PM
    3. Replies
      0
      Views
      1.3k

    2. You Have Been Deceived!

      • Cassius
      • February 18, 2017 at 3:46 PM
      • Cassius
      • February 18, 2017 at 3:46 PM
    3. Replies
      0
      Views
      1.4k

    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
    3. Replies
      0
      Views
      3.1k

    2. Definitions Of Key Greek Terms

      • Cassius
      • March 11, 2017 at 3:50 PM
      • Cassius
      • March 11, 2017 at 3:50 PM
    3. Replies
      0
      Views
      2k

    2. An Exchange On The Issue of How Much Pain To Accept 1

      • Cassius
      • January 10, 2018 at 7:11 PM
      • Cassius
      • January 10, 2018 at 9:13 PM
    3. Replies
      1
      Views
      2k
      1

    4. Cassius

      January 10, 2018 at 9:13 PM

    2. A Debate About Hedonism

      • Cassius
      • January 13, 2018 at 3:35 PM
      • Cassius
      • January 13, 2018 at 3:35 PM
    3. Replies
      0
      Views
      4.3k

    2. The Meaning of Eudaemonia - "Good Demon" 1

      • Cassius
      • January 22, 2018 at 9:56 AM
      • Cassius
      • January 22, 2018 at 10:50 AM
    3. Replies
      1
      Views
      4.8k
      1

    4. Hiram

      January 22, 2018 at 10:50 AM

    2. A Hypothetical To Assist Self-Awareness And Understanding - "Which Shall It Be?" 1

      • Cassius
      • February 3, 2018 at 10:32 AM
      • Cassius
      • February 6, 2018 at 2:24 PM
    3. Replies
      1
      Views
      2k
      1

    4. Cassius

      February 6, 2018 at 2:24 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
      Views
      3.8k
      2

    4. Cassius

      February 11, 2018 at 9:50 AM

    2. "Philosophize This" - A Statement of the Position That Ataraxia is "True Pleasure" and that Epicureans Should Have No Ambitions Other than to Remove the Desire For Ambition - Your Focus is the Complete Removal of Pain - Agree or Disagree?

      • Cassius
      • February 14, 2018 at 8:49 AM
      • Cassius
      • February 14, 2018 at 8:49 AM
    3. Replies
      0
      Views
      3.3k

    2. A Question of Lives - Which Is To Be Preferred?

      • Cassius
      • February 24, 2018 at 10:26 AM
      • Cassius
      • February 24, 2018 at 10:26 AM
    3. Replies
      0
      Views
      1.4k

    2. A General Thought About The Future Of Epicurean Philosophy - On The Meaning of "Pleasure" 2

      • Cassius
      • April 13, 2018 at 12:54 PM
    3. Replies
      2
      Views
      3.6k
      2

    4. Hiram

      April 13, 2018 at 12:54 PM

    2. Elena Nicoli - An Excellent Presentation On Epicurean Pleasure 11

      • Cassius
      • April 16, 2018 at 4:18 PM
      • Cassius
      • May 7, 2018 at 10:50 AM
    3. Replies
      11
      Views
      11k
      11

    4. Eoghan Gardiner

      May 7, 2018 at 10:50 AM

    2. 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
    3. Replies
      4
      Views
      3.6k
      4

    4. Cassius

      October 9, 2018 at 8:40 AM

    2. You Only Live Once

      • Cassius
      • October 6, 2018 at 10:48 AM
      • Cassius
      • October 6, 2018 at 10:48 AM
    3. Replies
      0
      Views
      1.4k

    2. Another Example Why I Don't Accept The Term "Hedonism" to Describe Epicurean Philosophy

      • Cassius
      • October 14, 2018 at 8:55 PM
      • Cassius
      • October 14, 2018 at 8:55 PM
    3. Replies
      0
      Views
      1.5k

    2. Star Conclusions of Epicurean Theory 1

      • Cassius
      • October 24, 2018 at 9:09 AM
      • Cassius
      • October 26, 2018 at 7:10 PM
    3. Replies
      1
      Views
      1.9k
      1

    4. Cassius

      October 26, 2018 at 7:10 PM

    2. A Five Star Presentation of Epicurus

      • Cassius
      • October 28, 2018 at 5:55 PM
      • Cassius
      • October 28, 2018 at 5:55 PM
    3. Replies
      0
      Views
      1.9k

    2. My Best Summary As Of November 2018

      • Cassius
      • November 2, 2018 at 7:01 AM
      • Cassius
      • November 2, 2018 at 7:01 AM
    3. Replies
      0
      Views
      1.5k

    2. Major Controversies In Understanding Epicurean Philosophy

      • Cassius
      • December 11, 2018 at 2:25 AM
      • Cassius
      • December 11, 2018 at 2:25 AM
    3. Replies
      0
      Views
      2.6k

    2. Why Do We Focus On "Pleasure" as the Goal and the Good, Rather than "Happiness?" 3

      • Cassius
      • December 18, 2018 at 8:50 AM
      • Cassius
      • December 18, 2018 at 12:47 PM
    3. Replies
      3
      Views
      4k
      3

    4. Cassius

      December 18, 2018 at 12:47 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
      3
      Views
      3k
      3

    4. Matt

      December 21, 2018 at 3:22 PM

    2. Nietzsche Channeling Epicurus "Never Losing One's Own Way," and How To Proceed With Philosophical Therapy 3

      • Cassius
      • December 23, 2018 at 10:13 AM
      • Cassius
      • February 1, 2019 at 10:27 AM
    3. Replies
      3
      Views
      4.6k
      3

    4. Cassius

      February 1, 2019 at 10:27 AM

Display Options

Finding Things At EpicureanFriends.com

Here is a list of suggested search strategies:

  • Website Overview page - clickable links arrranged by cards.
  • Forum Main Page - list of forums and subforums arranged by topic. Threads are posted according to relevant topics. The "Uncategorized subforum" contains threads which do not fall into any existing topic (also contains older "unfiled" threads which will soon be moved).
  • Search Tool - icon is located on 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."
  • Search By Key Tags - curated to show frequently-searched topics.
  • Full Tag List - an alphabetical list of all tags.