Epicurus believed that acknowledging and accepting our faults is crucial for attaining tranquility, emphasizing a collaborative journey with others. He stressed the importance of understanding science to avoid superstitions, being ahead of his time by proposing the existence of atoms and void, denying a divine creation of the universe unlike the Stoics. Stoics, in contrast, believed in a providential universe where everything happens for good as designed by a divine being, influencing their views on misfortune and suffering. Epicurus viewed the world as materialistic and physical, attributing the existence of living beings to the motion of atoms and happenstance.
Over 2,000 years ago, Epicurus, a Greek philosopher, made a simple yet bold claim. The key to the good life, he said, is to pursue pleasure and avoid pain. Is it really that easy? To answer that question, we turn to Emily Austin, a professor of philosophy at Wake Forest and author of “Living for Pleasure: An Epicurean Guide to Life.”
(This episode first aired in January 2023.)