Epicurus lecture notes

The topic for Week 1 of PHI110 is Epicurus. Here are my lecture notes;

Epicurus believed that the key to happiness lies in specific kinds of pleasure, and that the pursuit of these pleasures lead to ‘the good life’. These pleasures are the things we need in order to live free from physical and mental discomfort, such as food, water, warmth, shelter, friendship and peace of mind. Because these pleasures are essential to our comfort, we are biologically programmed to seek them out. Epicurus called these pleasures ‘natural’ and ‘necessary’. Epicurus also identified natural pleasures which were ‘unnecessary’; extravagant add-ons to the necessary pleasures, such as banquets or mansions. There are also ‘unnatural’ pleasures; those arising from social pressures, such as power, fame, and nobility. In addition to these base pleasures, Epicurus also outlined the need for ‘reflection’. Contemplation was required for ‘the good life’, as a means of balancing our needs and desires. The pursuit of knowledge, therefore, was seen as a means to an end, not as a noble pursuit in its own right. It is ‘instrumental’ rather than ‘intrinsic’. Epicurus had a curious conception of justice, believing that we act in accordance with justice not out of a moral concern for others, but from self-interest. By abiding by the laws, we free ourselves from the anxiety of potential punishment.