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Epicurus
Born: 341 BCE - on Samos an Athenian Colony
Died: 270 BCE - Athens, Greece |
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Famous For:
Saw atoms
as the basic constituent of the world - "uncuttable" units of
matter that made up everything. Most of his ideas were considered
"ungodly" and destroyed after his death. But, Epicurean
communities continued. Most of what is known about his ideas comes
from other writings about them by authors such as Leartius, Lucretius and
Cicero. |
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Humanist Ideas:
One gains
knowledge by relying upon the senses. The gods have no influence on
our lives. Pleasure, meaning tranquility, can be achieved by
limiting our desires and not fearing the gods or death. His "gospel
of freedom" was very popular during his life time. He highly
valued the virtues of justice, honesty, and prudence which he
thought of as the balancing of pleasure and pain. He believe
in the freedom of will. |
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Noted Sayings:
"Death is nothing to us since
when we are, death has not come and when death has come we are not." (From Diogenes Laertius, Lives of Eminent
Philosophers, Bk X, Sec 125.)
"Pleasure is the beginning and the end of living happily."
(From Diogenes Laertius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers, Bk X, Sec 128.)
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