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EpicurusGreek materialist philosopher and atheist of the Hellenistic era.
Country:
 Greece |
Content:
Biography of Epicurus
Epicurus (341-270 BC) was a Greek philosopher, materialist, and atheist of the Hellenistic era. He denied the intervention of gods in the affairs of the world and believed in the eternity of matter, which possessed an internal source of motion. Reviving the atomism of Leucippus and Democritus, Epicurus introduced original modifications to it. To explain the possibility of the collision of atoms moving at the same speed in empty space, he introduced the concept of "swerve," which was the spontaneous deviation of an atom from a straight line. This laid the foundation for a deeper understanding of the relationship between necessity and chance, representing a step forward compared to the mechanical determinism of Democritus.
Epistemology
In the theory of knowledge, Epicurus was a sensualist. He believed that sensations themselves are always true because they originate from objective reality. Errors arise from the interpretation of sensations. According to Epicurus, sensations are naively and materialistically explained as a continuous flow of the tiniest particles emanating from the surface of objects and entering the sense organs, thereby creating mental images of things. The goal of knowledge is to liberate humans from ignorance and superstition, fear of gods, and death, as happiness is impossible without these.
Ethics
In ethics, Epicurus advocated for rational pleasure. At the core of his philosophy was an individualistic ideal of avoiding suffering and achieving a state of tranquility and joy of the mind. According to Epicurus, the most rational pursuit for humans is not activity but rest, known as ataraxia. The materialistic teachings of Epicurus were distorted in idealistic philosophy, such as in the works of Hegel.
