Epicuro

Epicuro, the Italian form of Epicurus, was a Greek philosopher who lived from 341 to 270 BCE. Born on the island of Samos and later active in Athens, he founded a philosophical school known as the Garden. His teachings gave rise to Epicureanism, a coherent system that spread through the Hellenistic world and into Roman times.

Core ideas center on the pursuit of happiness as the absence of pain. Pleasure is the natural good, achieved through mental tranquility (ataraxia) and bodily ease (aponia). Epicurus argued that desires should be categorized as natural and necessary, natural but not necessary, and vain; by limiting desires and choosing simple pleasures, friendship, and contemplation, one attains a tranquil life. He asserted that the gods exist but are indifferent to human affairs, and that fears of gods and of death impede well-being. The aim of philosophy is prudence in conduct and the removal of sources of distress, leading to a state of long-term happiness.

Influence and reception: Epicureanism influenced later Roman writers, including Lucretius, and contributed to debates on ethics and epistemology. The movement declined with the spread of Christianity but left a lasting mark on the history of Western philosophy. In modern scholarship, Epicuro is regarded as an early form of ethical naturalism that emphasizes psychological well-being through modest needs and wise living.