When a philosopher has been said to influence everyone from Karl Marx to Thomas Jefferson, it bears taking note, particularly given the polarized political zeitgeist in which we currently find ourselves. One such philosopher was Epicurus (341-270 BC), perhaps best known as an advocate of ‘the simple life’ as the path to happiness.
So naturally, we became ‘epi-curious’ about Epicurus given that the right to the ‘pursuit of happiness’ is a founding principle of a free society. What we discovered was that ‘happiness’ itself is an incredibly polarized concept, a polarization that can also be seen in terms of the political Left and Right. This perhaps partially accounts for the differing narratives and interpretations regarding Epicurus’ history and philosophy.
For example, given the contrast between the motivations of Karl Marx and Thomas Jefferson, it should not be surprising that each interpreted the philosophy of Epicurus in equally contrasting ways. Were Epicurus alive today, how he himself might have viewed their Epicurean narratives is certainly a subject open to discussion.
According to one source regarding the Greek philosopher: “Epicurus promoted the following worldview: the universe is made of atoms and void and subject to the laws of physics without divine intervention. The world can be understood through an empiricist epistemology, and pleasure, pursued intelligently and ethically, is the goal of life.” Continue reading »