Epicurus: The Philosopher of Simple Pleasures
Epicurus, the ancient Greek philosopher, is often misunderstood as an advocate of indulgence, but his philosophy was far from hedonistic excess. For Epicurus, happiness came not from luxury, but from simplicity—achieving a state of peace and freedom from fear, known as ataraxia.
He taught that by focusing on natural and necessary desires, like food, water, and shelter, while letting go of vain pursuits like wealth and fame, we can find true contentment. Epicurus also dismissed the fear of gods and death through reason, arguing that death is simply the absence of sensation: “When we exist, death is not; and when death exists, we are not.”
