Epicurus

Epicurus, born 341 and died 270 BCE, was a Greek philosopher and the founder of the Epicurean school. He was born on the island of Samos and later established his philosophical school in Athens, known as "The Garden"; a place that became a circle for dialogue, teaching, and simple philosophical living.

Epicurus's thought was based on the belief that philosophy should help human beings attain tranquility, wise happiness, and freedom from fear. He saw the good life not in excessive pleasure-seeking, but in simplicity, friendship, self-sufficiency, peace of mind, and avoidance of needless anxieties. For this reason, his school is most often associated in the history of culture and philosophy with the concepts of "tranquil living" and "freedom from fear."

Epicurus held influential views on death, the gods, knowledge, nature, and ethics. He regarded death as the end of human experience and believed that the fear of death is one of the primary sources of human suffering. In epistemology, he emphasized sensory experience, and in explaining the world, he drew upon the atomist tradition of Democritus.

Although many of Epicurus's writings have been lost, his teachings reached later generations through surviving letters, sayings, and the works of his students and followers, particularly Lucretius. His thought influenced many philosophers and writers across various periods, from the ancient world to the Enlightenment.