Happiness is something people typically desire, but in many ethical systems it is one of the things which can get in the way of the good. What we ought to do often contradicts what would bring us pleasure, forcing us to decide whether to act morally or not.
For the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus, however, pleasure is not just a happy byproduct of certain behaviours and experiences; pleasure is the ultimate aim. We should seek our own pleasure, and doing so is the same thing as living a good life.
At first glance, this seems indulgent and irresponsible. Indeed, the word “epicurean” has come to mean something akin to these adjectives: if you are a lazy glutton, you may find the word thrown at you by detractors who wish to sound a little sophisticated.
But, and of course, it is not as simple as that. Epicurus had a particular view of pleasure, with some surprising implications (such as his dislike of sex), as well as a very particular metaphysical background. He was an atomist materialist, and was, in the words of today’s guest, godless but not atheistic.
Jonny Thomson is the founder of Philosophy Minis, which explains philosophical ideas in an accessible manner to a wide audience of almost one million followers. He is also the author of the forthcoming book, The Art of Enough: The Ancient Epicurean Philosophy of Finding – and Keeping – Happiness.
Jonny joins me in this episode to introduce Epicureanism and discuss its plausibility.
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TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Are Epicureans Selfish?
5:30 - Why Epicureanism?
10:31 - Who Was Epicurus?
16:42 - Godless But Not Atheistic
22:10 - Epicurus’ Metaphysics
26:13 - Why Focus on Pleasure?
34:18 - Epicureanism vs Utilitarianism
47:48 - What About Immoral Pleasures?
51:51 - Could AI be Epicurean?
59:39 - The Experience Machine
01:10:07 - Why Epicurus Didn’t Like Sex
01:15:12 - Are Influencers Watering Down Ancient Philosophy?
01:18:55 - Are You In Control of Your Happiness?
01:25:22 - Epicureanism vs Stoicism
01:31:25 - Epicurus on Death
01:35:31 - Do We Have a Happiness Crisis?
