Epicurus, << `ehp` uh KYUR uhs >> (342?-270 B.C.), was a Greek philosopher. His views on pleasure, freedom, and friendship had a great influence in the Greco-Roman world. The word epicurean comes from his name.
Epicurus believed that the human mind was disturbed by two main anxieties: fear of deities (gods and goddesses) and fear of death. He believed both fears were based on mistaken beliefs and could be overcome by the study of physics. According to Epicurus, physics proves that the movements of the heavens and meteorological phenomena are caused by the motions of atoms, not by deities. He said deities should not be feared because they are not concerned with human affairs.
Epicurus said that death should not be feared because good and evil lie in sensation, and death ends sensation. According to Epicurus, the soul is composed of atoms and these atoms disperse at death. Freed from anxieties over death, a person can live the good life by seeking moderate pleasures and avoiding pain. The modern term epicurean suggests excessive bodily pleasures, but Epicurus taught that pleasure can best be gained by living in accordance with prudence, moderation, courage, and justice, and by making friends.
Epicurus was born on the island of Samos. Except for three letters that summarize his teachings, his philosophy has been reconstructed from fragments of his many works and the poem On the Nature of Things by Lucretius (see Lucretius ).
