Welcome To EpicureanFriends.com!

Welcome to our Online Community of Epicureans: the home of Classical Epicurean Philosophy, uncorrupted by Platonism and Stoicism. Here you will do well to tarry. Here our highest good is pleasure!


Join Us to Learn about Epicurus and His Philosophy:

Our website is both a discussion forum and a resource hub for the study of Epicurean philosophy. Here you will find help and guidance in the study of important ancient texts, as well as links and discussions on articles and documents crucial to the understanding of the teachings of Epicurus. All are welcome to read the forums, but posting privileges are reserved for registered users.


Epicurus Not Neo-Epicurean, but Epicurean:

There are many places on the internet where other philosophies can be studied, but few if any which are dedicated exclusively to Epicurus. We work hard to keep the forum both friendly to all but also firmly Epicurean, so if you are looking for a truly supportive community of Epicurean Friends, you've come to the right place.


New Visitor Usage Tips: 

We recommend our New Visitor Page for a brief introduction to Epicurus and the purpose of our forum. You can view our brief video Major Characteristics of Epicurean Philosophy. The Forum section is where the deeper philosophic discussions take place, and these pages are organized around specific topics. Be sure to check out our sections on Ethics and Epicurean Lifestyle and Self-Improvement, and our page on Epicurean philosophy FAQ's. There is also a Gallery of our recent graphics, an Articles section for longer presentations, and a Documents section of our recommended files. As you continue to scroll down this page you'll see a sampling of some of our major sections.


Lucretius Today Podcast:

For an audio sample of the friendly and supportive atmosphere we try to cultivate, check out our recent weekly Lucretius Today podcasts. Some good episodes to try:

The Canon, Reason, and Nature / Letter to Menoeceus

/ Lucretius Today Interviews Dr. Emily Austin.


Register for an account:

The best way to keep track of new posts is to Register for an account, which will allow the site to notify you of new material and also allow you to subscribe to email updates. All are welcome to register for membership, but only friends of Epicurean Philosophy in accord with our Not Neo-Epicurean, But Epicurean and our Posting Policy statements are granted full posting privileges. You will find much helpful information in our Community Standards / Terms of Use. Other benefits for forum members -- an optimized Dashboard so you can be sure to see all the activity that happens site-wide and also bookmark your studies, and a TimeLine where people can post short Facebook-like comments. New and regular members alike may enjoy taking one of our Quizzes. All members begin as Level 1. Those who have passed through our vetting process will be promoted to Level 3, and will then be invited to join our Zoom meetings.


Join us as we study Epicurus, apply Epicurean philosophy to our own lives, and "strike a blow for Epicurus, that great man whose holiness and divinity of nature were not shams, who alone had and imparted true insight into the good, and who brought deliverance to all that consorted with him." (Lucian - "Alexander the Oracle-Monger") 


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Epicurus

Thank You For Visiting EpicureanFriends ...

This is the place to study and discuss Epicurus with people who support and promote classical Epicurean philosophy.


What Is Epicurean Philosophy All About?

Epicurus advised the use of outlines to organize our thoughts on what is important in philosophy, because we frequently have need of the general principles, but only rarely do we need to recall every small detail. Here's a sample outline of several of the key principles in each section of Epicurean philosophy:

Activity From Across EpicureanFriends

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For one of the best and quickest ways to orient yourself to Epicurean Ethics, especially as to the central role of "Pleasure" (and not "tranquility") as the goal and guide of life, be sure to check out our recording of the longest and most detailed presentation of Epicurean Ethics left to us from the ancient world: the "Torquatus" presentation from Book One of Cicero's "On Ends." One of our regular participants here (Joshua) has graciously recorded this for us, and we think you'll see why this is a great introduction to the big picture of Epicurean Ethics. See the following thread for the latest version and discussion:



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In January of 2023 Dr. Emily Austin allowed the LucretiusToday podcast team to interview her about her new book "Living For Pleasure - An Epicurean Guide For Life." This interview is a great introduction to the non-ascetic interpretation of Epicurean Philosophy which we promote here at Epicureanfriends.com. For more detail on the interview check here.

Foundations of Epicurean Philosophy

For a detailed summary of Epicurean Philosophy assembled from the passages of the ancient texts, see the video below. For discussion of this video please go here.

(Another version of the text is available here.)


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Nate's Allegory of the Oasis

Read about Nate's "Allegory of the Oasis" graphic and make suggestions or comments here.

The Full Cup / Fullness of Pleasure Non-Ascetic Model of Epicurean Pleasure