Epicurean Philosophy: Attaining Happiness and Pleasure
Epicurean Philosophy Explained
Founded by Epicurus of Samos as a response to the political and human crisis of the moment, Epicureanism addressed the citizen of the polis who felt disappointed and helpless, turning inward—an individuality in pursuit of lost happiness. It resulted in a system comprising a canonical philosophy (theory of knowledge) and a physics (philosophy of nature), leading to an ethics focused on achieving a happy life. Knowledge is not an end in itself but merely a means; one cannot achieve happiness in an unknown context. Its epistemology is empiricist: knowledge originates from the only existing reality—the sensible world—which produces our impressions through the senses.
Regarding physics, Epicureanism fully subscribes to atomism: the only existing reality is material, made up of atoms and void. Furthermore, the human soul is material, composed of atoms, and therefore mortal. Atoms have a random swerve in their trajectories (the clinamen), causing them to collide and form the multitude of associations that constitute the visible world.
Epicurean Hedonism
Epicureanism conceives philosophy as a discipline to help humans achieve happiness. Since happiness is sought throughout life, philosophy should also be practiced for life (contrary to Plato and Aristotle). For Epicureanism, a form of hedonism, human happiness consists in pleasure. Humans should focus on maximizing pleasure throughout their existence.
Rational Calculus of Pleasure
Achieving maximum pleasure requires a rational calculation to choose pleasures wisely and avoid pains.
Types of Pleasure
Catastematic Pleasures
This is the highest pleasure; it lies in the absence of physical or spiritual pain. The absence of physical pain is called aponia, and the absence of spiritual pain (or disturbance) is called ataraxia. Catastematic means it can be achieved without requiring significant external goods. It is the simple pleasure found in the absence of thirst when drinking cool water, or the mental pleasure found in the absence of worry. Spiritual pains are considered greater than physical ones: the body suffers in the present, but the soul can suffer from past memories, present anxieties, and future fears.
Kinetic Pleasures
These are based on catastematic pleasures and are considered inferior. For example, while the absence of hunger (a catastematic pleasure) is primary, the kinetic pleasure is the enjoyment experienced while eating—satisfying the sense of taste beyond merely appeasing hunger. However, overindulgence leads to unpleasantness like heaviness, indigestion, headaches, dizziness, or hangovers.
Four Wise Counsels (Tetrapharmakos)
- Do not fear the gods: They do not concern themselves with human affairs and should not cause us distress, as they neither interfere in our lives nor can we influence them.
- Do not worry about death: When we exist, death is not present, and when death is present, we do not exist. Therefore, it cannot cause us pain.
- What is good (pleasure) is easy to obtain: The greatest pleasure, the absence of pain (aponia and ataraxia), is attainable through simple means.
- What is terrible (pain) is easy to endure: All pain is limited in intensity and duration; severe pain is short-lived, and chronic pain is usually mild.
Types of Desire and the Epicurean Ideal
Epicurus categorized desires to help achieve the ideal life of tranquility:
- Natural and Necessary: Desires essential for life, ease, and happiness (e.g., food, shelter, friendship). These should be fulfilled simply.
- Natural but Unnecessary: Desires for variations on necessities (e.g., luxurious food, grand houses). These are not inherently bad but can lead to turmoil and are hard to satisfy.
- Vain and Empty: Desires instilled by society or false beliefs (e.g., fame, power, extreme wealth). These are limitless, unnatural, and should be eliminated as they cause disturbance.
The Epicurean ideal is a life of simple pleasures, freedom from pain and fear, self-sufficiency, and tranquility (ataraxia), often achieved within a community of friends.