1. Familiarize Yourself with the Fundamentals

• The Epicurean Paradigm Shift (wiki)
• Seven Steps with Epicurus (slideshow)
• Welcome: Eleven Key Aspects of Epicurean Philosophy (video)
• The Epicurean Paradigm Shift (video)
• Eleven Key Aspects of Classical Epicurean Philosophy (article)
• Foundations of Epicurean Philosophy (article)
• Outlines of Epicurean Philosophy
• For the most thorough grounding, locate a copy of Epicurus and His Philosophy by Norman DeWitt.

2. Read Our Forum

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3. Read Our Collection of Core Epicurean Texts

• Ancient Epicurean Texts, including Diogenes Laertius Book 10 and many others

4. Listen to the Lucretius Today Podcast

• Start with these episodes: Lucretius Today Interviews Dr. Emily Austin and Episode 222 (on "happiness," "pleasure," and "virtue")
• Full Episode List
• Lucretius Today on YouTube

5. Check Out Our Wiki and FAQ Pages

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7. Check Out Our Special Resources

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• Full List of Special Resources

8. Read Our Recommended Books

• Epicurus and His Philosophy by Norman DeWitt — a sweeping overview of the philosophy with many additional details
• Living for Pleasure: An Epicurean Guide to Life by Emily Austin — an attractive, practical introduction for those just starting out
• Full List of Recommended Reading (for further study)

9. Get More Involved by Registering for an Account

For those who are sincerely interested in the study of Epicurus and pursuing Classical Epicurean Philosophy, and who wish to collaborate with the EpicureanFriends community, we welcome you to register an account. Upon registration you will be given "Introductory Member" basic level access. Before you register, please be sure to read our foundational documents:

• Not Neo-Epicurean, But Epicurean
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10. Try Our Member Activities (requires account registration)

• Test Your Knowledge in Our Quiz Section
• Prepare Your Own Personal Outline of Epicurean Philosophy — and post yours here
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11. Think You May Have Missed Something?

Check our Site Map for a listing of all major sections of this site. If you have questions, feel free to ask any member of our Moderator Team.

A Final Word

Never allow yourself to get so "deep in the weeds" that you lose sight of the fundamental Epicurean truths: that there are no supernatural gods, and that there is no life after death. Many of the doctrines and sayings of Epicurus are very deep, and the fragmentary nature of some of the texts sometimes leaves us uncertain of the details Epicurus taught. Whenever you find yourself frustrated that you don't know everything Epicurus had to say, recall his advice to Herodotus:

"For we have frequent need of the general view, but not so often of the detailed exposition. Indeed it is necessary to go back on the main principles, and constantly to fix in one's memory enough to give one the most essential comprehension of the truth."

You don't always need the details — you need an understanding of the big picture, and you can always return to it through our Classical Epicurean Philosophy and Foundations of Epicurean Philosophy pages.

1. Not "flourishing," "human potential," "self-actualization," or "meaningfulness," but happiness grounded in the feeling of pleasure.
2. Not "absence of pain" as a full statement of the goal of life, but "the Feelings are two, pleasure and pain" and "Pleasure is the beginning and the end of a happy life."
3. Not virtue for the sake of virtue, but virtue as instrumental for the attainment of pleasure.
4. Not "the greatest good for the greatest number," but "Every desire must be confronted with this question: What will happen to me if the object of my desire is accomplished and what if it is not?"
5. Not "humanism," "transhumanism," "individualism," "collectivism," "egoism," "altruism," "social progress," "Marxism," "democracy," "tyranny," or any "one size fits all" political ideal of any kind, but social structure based on friendship which "is formed and maintained by means of a community of life among those who have reached the fullness of pleasure."
6. Not "hard determinism," but "some things happen from necessity, some from chance, and others through our own choice."
7. Not "supernaturalism," but "materialism."
8. Not "supernatural gods," or "life after death," but confidence in a fully material universe and "for those men for whom wisdom is possible, such men may truly live as gods."
9. Not only "short term hedonism," but "it is to continuous pleasures that I invite you."
10. Not "rationalism," but "all reason is dependent upon sensations."
11. Not fearful of death nor careless of losing life, but valuing life for the opportunity of pleasure it brings.

"No Partisan Politics," "No Supernatural Religion," and "No Absolute Virtue"

This forum is dedicated to promoting the philosophy of Epicurus, and not to any partisan political positions whether "left," "right," or "center." The task of rediscovering Epicurean philosophy requires that such discussions be held elsewhere. Posts violating this rule are subject to removal.

Epicurean philosophy firmly rejects the viewpoint that there are any supernatural forces or absolute virtues or Platonic ideals of any kind. Argument which is based on supernatural claims, or "absolute" virtues or ideals of any kind, are in violation of this rule and subject to removal.