66 Moral Philosophy: Ideas of Good and Evil, Right and Wrongschool prospered long after his death, and remained a vital force
in the teaching of his philosophy until the third century after
Christ.
The moral philosophy of Epicurus, most simply stated, re
volves around one major principle: achieve a life free of pain and
filled only with pleasure. There are, however, several other
premises from which Epicurus builds his particular brand of
Hedonism.
The world, he says, is composed of atoms. These atoms are
infinite in number, residing in an infinite amount of space. Since,
Epicurus states, “Nothing is created from nothing and nothing is
resolved into nothing,” the world then was not “created” but
exists in an infinite amount of time. All matter exists in two basic
forms, that infinite matter which exists as bodies recognized by
the senses, and that infinite space in which matter exists. Thus
the universe exists eternal and unchanging, and this concept is
critical to one of his two very important postulates necessary to
living a life of pleasure.
Epicurus maintains that there are two main problems which
worry man and cause the anxieties which get in the way of
leading the tranquil life that each man seeks. Men fear two
things, “the gods” and death. These fears overshadow every
waking moment and in varying degrees upset the search for
pleasure. They are nagging fears that intrude upon our best
moments. In the case of the gods, Epicurus says, since the
universe was not created, exists eternally, and cannot change,
then the gods do not watch over us, punish us for transgressions,
or become in any way involved in our affairs.
Similarly, one need not fear death. Man exists as body and
soul, both composed of atoms, each necessary to the other. The
soul receives sensations through the body which is necessary to
transmit them to the soul. Thus, the body and soul are dependent
upon one another, and it is that union which causes life. While
the soul remains in the body there is sensation; when at death the
soul leaves the body, there is no longer a way to experience
sensation. Therefore, there is no need to fear death. Death is the
end of sensation, the end of pain, and with that understanding, an
end of fear. There is an even more positive aspect of this theory;
not only is there nothing to fear—no pain, no sensation, no
punishment after death—there is a kind of immortality in death,