Epicurus
Epicurus
Epicuruswas an ancient Greek philosopher as well as the founder of the school of philosophy called Epicureanism. Only a few fragments and letters of Epicurus's 300 written works remain. Much of what is known about Epicurean philosophy derives from later followers and commentators...
NationalityGreek
ProfessionPhilosopher
powerful perfectly-good evil
God is all-powerful. God is perfectly good. Evil exists. If God exists, there would be no evil. Therefore God does not exist.
goal pleasure natural
All sensations are true; pleasure is our natural goal.
understanding desire please
I never desired to please the rabble. What pleased them, I did not learn; and what I knew was far removed from their understanding.
god prayer humility
If God listened to the prayers of men, all men would quickly have perished: for they are forever praying for evil against one another.
art philosophy history
Death is nothing to us: for that which is dissolved is without sensation; and that which lacks sensation is nothing to us.
what-if desire ifs
What will happen to me if that which this desire seeks is achieved, and what if it is not?
When we exist, death is not yet present, and when death is present, then we do not exist.
death military long
Death does not concern us, because as long as we exist, death is not here. And when it does come, we no longer exist.
pain giving pleasure
The summit of pleasure is the elimination of all that gives pain.
philosophical hard-times skills
Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempest.
thanksgiving food dine-in
We should look for someone to eat and drink with before looking for something to eat and drink.
soul noble wisdom-and-friendship
The noble soul occupies itself with wisdom and friendship.
intelligent religion atheism
Why should I fear death? If I am, death is not. If death is, I am not. Why should I fear that which can only exist when I do not?
death life-and-death death-anniversary
Death is nothing to us, since when we are, death has not come, and when death has come, we are not.