Difference between revisions of "Epicureanism"
(Epicureanism did maintain the existence of a creator, as per Stanford Enc. of Philos. linked in the page. Deleted Biblical passage as it is unrelated. Other article statements worth review.) |
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'''Epicureanism''' is the belief that great happiness can be achieved through the avoidance of pain and fear. | '''Epicureanism''' is the belief that great happiness can be achieved through the avoidance of pain and fear. | ||
| − | The Epicureans were founded by [[Epicurus]] (341-270 B.C.) in the late fourth century B.C | + | The Epicureans were founded by [[Epicurus]] (341-270 B.C.) in the late fourth century B.C. They did not believe in human ability to know and understand absolute truth, instead teaching that only the senses could be trusted. They sought pleasure and inner peace, and their teachings later led to justification for excess and indulgence in whatever pleasures one desired. The Epicureans believe that there can be no pain in death because their can be no pain in non-existence, so one should not fear death. The Epicureans did not necessarily believe in an afterlife, but they believed that pain was the root of human suffering, thus death should be welcomed as the end of pain and the end of suffering. |
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== External links == | == External links == | ||
Revision as of 03:15, December 9, 2008
Epicureanism is the belief that great happiness can be achieved through the avoidance of pain and fear.
The Epicureans were founded by Epicurus (341-270 B.C.) in the late fourth century B.C. They did not believe in human ability to know and understand absolute truth, instead teaching that only the senses could be trusted. They sought pleasure and inner peace, and their teachings later led to justification for excess and indulgence in whatever pleasures one desired. The Epicureans believe that there can be no pain in death because their can be no pain in non-existence, so one should not fear death. The Epicureans did not necessarily believe in an afterlife, but they believed that pain was the root of human suffering, thus death should be welcomed as the end of pain and the end of suffering.