Ancient Greek Philosophy: Aristotle,Epicurus,the Stoics,Plotinus - Essay Example

His ideas were mainly based on the study of perception and science. Of course, it is not difficult for one to thus see how his theory was based on that of materialism. For Epicurus, nothing past what could be sense-perceived existed: this perceivable totality consisted solely of body and interestingly, void (LtH, 10.39; 4-7). Further, he deduced everything down scientifically, into atoms and masses (LtH, 10.50-7), so that there could be no room for the mythical beliefs that hinder man so. Simply, physics explain ‘the cause of most important things’ (LtH, 10.78;2) and nature is ‘meteorological knowledge’ (LtH, 10.78;3). Epicurus sought to turn to science to explain all natural occurrences such as earthquakes, snow and clouds, without the explanation that they were heavenly acts of God (LtP, 10.101-17). The central element of Epicurus’ ideas was his clear distaste for God-fearing men.

For Epicurus, to believe that ‘heavenly phenomena’ (LtH, 10.81;3) could actively punish the bad and reward the good, contradicted his teachings of a somewhat pleasured life. If we were to use sense-perception, to see that these myths are not scientifically proven, we would be free of such unnecessary worries, he said, and live a fruitful life. Indeed, Epicurus himself was a man of simple pleasures, a kind and gentle man (LoE, 10.11). It is not difficult to see that his ideas were based on his desire for simplicity; a happy life free from fear, especially from death, which ‘is nothing to us’ (LtP, 10.124;6). For Epicurus, death was nothing; the falling of the body from the soul (LtH, 10.65), after which man did not exist.

He taught that irrational thoughts and fears about impossibilities (LtP, 10.86-7) were ‘false suppositions’ (LtP, 10.124;1-2) which we should avoid in order to live life well. Epicurus instead developed his own ‘alternative religion’; a list of