"The body cries out to not be hungry, not be thirsty, not be cold. Anyone who has these things, and who is confident of continuing to have them, can rival the gods for happiness." This collection features the surviving works of Epicurus, whose insightful discourses range over a vast array of subjects, from family and religion to morality and metaphysics. Behind every discussion lies one guiding principle: the desire to understand how humans can achieve true happiness. With a detailed introduction and an explanatory chapter, On Happiness is the perfect introduction to one of Ancient Greece's most influential philosophers. In these life-affirming writings, Epicurus lays a path for all of us to follow.

The philosophy of Epicurus (c. 341-271 B. C. E.), has been a quietly pervasive influence for more than two millennia. At present, when many long revered ideologies are proven empty, Epicureanism is powerfully and refreshingly relevant, offering a straightforward way of dealing with the issues of life and death. The chapters in this book provide a kaleidoscope of contemporary opinions about Epicurus' teachings. They tell us also about the archeological discoveries that promise to augment the scant remains we have of Epicurus's own writing. the breadth of this new work will be welcomed by those who value Epicurean philosophy as a scholarly and personal resource for contemporary life. "Epicurus: His Continuing Influence and Contemporary Relevance," is the title of a 2002 conference on Epicurus held at Rochester Institute of Technology, when many of the ideas here were first presented.

Epicurus posited a materialistic physics, in which pleasure, by which he meant freedom from pain, is the highest good. Serenity, the harmony of mind and body, is best achieved, through virtue and simple living.

There's nothing new about wanting to live a mindful, simple life, and these writings by an ancient Greek sage recommend embracing sources of lasting satisfaction, such as friendship and philosophical inquiry.

The idea that happiness is a choice accessible to all is far from new; the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus developed the Natural Philosophy of life over two thousand years ago, providing practical, contemporary guidelines to finding meaning and happiness. Unlike Plato, who valued the divine logic above all, Epicurus argued that the pursuit of ideals produced by logic alone leads to inner conflict, cognitive dissonance, dissatisfaction, and even depression. He suggested that by first embracing our natural desires, then using logic to determine which choices will increase pleasure over time, and using our will to take action, we could learn and change, and achieve happiness. Join the author Haris Dimitriadis on a journey through the history of philosophical thought, as well as an in-depth look at the modern neuroscience, psychology, and astrophysics, and discover why the ancient Epicurean Philosophy of Nature matters as much today as it did two thousand and three hundred years ago!

Greek philosopher Epicurus defined philosophy as 'a daily business of speech and thought to secure happiness'. He believed happiness to be the goal of human life and thought it could be achieved by pursuing pleasure. However, the Epicurean philosophy was then and still is now often erroneously interpreted as promoting hedonism. Rather, Epicurus considered pleasure to be connected to virtue not excess or sensual self-indulgence. This volume contains Cyril Baileys masterly, classic translations of the most important surviving writing of Epicurus -- the Letter to Menoeceus, the Principal Doctrines and the Vatican Sayings -- and offers the contemporary reader a comprehensive overview of Epicurean ethics, his philosophy on what matters in life and how we should live.

Brings together the work of leading classicists and philosophers in order to show the vitality and development of Epicureanism after Epicurus, and especially the dynamic interplay between tradition and innovation.

Epicurus Principal Doctrines and Letter to Menoeceus Translated by Robert Drew Hicks Epicurus; 341-270 BC, was 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. For Epicurus, the purpose of philosophy was to attain the happy, tranquil life, characterized by ataraxia-peace and freedom from fear-and aponia-the absence of pain-and by living a self-sufficient life surrounded by friends. He taught that pleasure and pain are measures of what is good and evil; death is the end of both body and soul and should therefore not be feared; the gods neither reward nor punish humans; the universe is infinite and eternal; and events in the world are ultimately based on the motions and interactions of atoms moving in empty space.