Epicureanism says we are like other animals in that we navigate the world through pleasure and pain, but we can use our souped up brains to do that prudently. Our scientific understanding of how we respond to feelings has become much more sophisticated in recent decades. And so part of the Epicureian project is helping us manage these special capacities that we have to cause ourselves anxiety about things that are not actually occurring.
The Greek philosopher Epicurus made a rather bold claim over two thousand years ago. The key to life, he said, was simple: pursue pleasure and avoid pain. Around this maxim he developed a school of philosophy, Epicureanism, which promised its adherents that if they took care of their basic needs, surrounded themselves with trustworthy friends, and developed a basic understanding of science, they would be happy. But is it really that simple? Can the advice of someone born 2,363 years ago still hold true? To answer these questions, we turned to Emily Austin, professor of philosophy at Wake Forest University and author of the delightful new book "Living for Pleasure: An Epicurean Guide to Life.”
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