PHILOSOPHY - Epicurus

Question 1

Question: According to Epicurus, what are the three mistakes we make when thinking about happiness?

Answer 1

Answer: Epicurus identified three common mistakes about happiness: believing it comes from romantic relationships, pursuing excessive wealth, and obsessing over luxury.

Question 2

Question: How does Epicurus view the importance of friendship in achieving happiness?

Answer 2

Answer: Epicurus valued the importance of friendship as a display of human nature at its sweetest. He believed that we need friends around more often to be truly happy.

Question 3

Question: What does Epicurus consider the key to happiness?

Answer 3

Answer: Epicurus suggests that true happiness can be achieved with three essential things: the presence of friends, working to help others or make a difference, and achieving a calm, untroubled mind.

Question 4

Question: How did Epicurus and his friends seek happiness in their lives?

Answer 4

Answer: Epicurus bought a house large enough to accommodate all his friends, who lived together and stopped working for others. They took pay cuts to develop hobbies and focused on achieving a calm state of mind.

Question 5

Question: What impact did Epicurus’s philosophy have on communities?

Answer 5

Answer: Epicurean communities that followed his philosophy of happiness and communal living spread widely around the Mediterranean.

Question 6

Question: What did Karl Marx’s doctoral thesis focus on, and what connection does it have to Epicureanism?

Answer 6

Answer: Karl Marx’s PhD thesis centered on Epicurus, and his concept of communism can be seen as a grown-up, somewhat corrupted version of Epicureanism. Both philosophies emphasize communal living and a focus on what truly brings happiness.

Question 7

Question: Why do humans often struggle to make themselves happy, according to Epicurus?

Answer 7

Answer: Epicurus suggests that humans struggle to make themselves happy because they focus on the wrong things, such as sex, money, and luxury. They underestimate the importance of friendships and achieving a calm mind.

Question 8

Question: What advice does Epicurus offer for finding true happiness in life?

Answer 8

Answer: Epicurus advises individuals to reflect on the moments that genuinely make them happy and to align their lives with those moments that bring true satisfaction.