"The Pleasure Principle" by Catherine Wilson

This month book is "The Pleasure Principle" by Catherine Wilson
The book is out of print, but available on Kindle and Audible.

Alternatively, on the same topic, you can read:
"living for pleasure" by Emily A. Austin

We will meet in Room Bee 1 in Beeston Library to discuss the book. Please come along even if you haven't read it: it's an occasion to discuss humanist issues and meet other people interested in humanism.

For this and other humanist events, go the the homepage of Nottingham Humanists.

Description:
The Pleasure Principle: In our troubled world, looking back to ancient wisdom can shed light on fresh solutions.
For years, many of us have upheld the Stoic belief in ‘no pain, no gain.’ But when the pace of modern life and the demands of jobs and family overwhelm us, punishing exercise regimes, productivity apps and early morning starts may not be the best solution.
According to the pleasure-centric philosophy of Epicureanism, life can be good without great sacrifice. By consciously practicing ‘choice and avoidance’ – by being strategic about our recreational, professional and familial pursuits – we can live with less fear and regret. By understanding our place in a world that came about by chance, we can gain greater perspective on our role within it and where our priorities should lie.
No honest philosopher can give you a formula for happiness, but in The Pleasure Principle, Professor Catherine Wilson explores how Epicureanism can provide a framework for thinking about life’s key issues, including family, death, politics, religion, wealth, science, and love.

living for pleasure: If we all want happiness and pleasure so much, then why are we so bad at getting it?
Pleasure feels amazing! Anxiety, however, does not. The Ancient Greek Philosopher Epicurus rolled these two strikingly intuitive claims into a simple formula for happiness and well-being--pursue pleasure without causing yourself anxiety. But wait, is that even possible? Can humans achieve lasting pleasure without suffering anxiety about failure and loss? Epicurus thinks we can, at least once we learn to pursue pleasure thoughtfully.
In Living for Pleasure, philosopher Emily Austin offers a lively, jargon-free tour of Epicurean strategies for diminishing anxiety, achieving satisfaction, and relishing joys. Epicurean science was famously far ahead of its time, and Austin shows that so was its ethics and psychology. Epicureanism can help us make and keep good friends, prepare for suffering, combat imposter syndrome, build trust, recognize personal limitations, value truth, cultivate healthy attitudes towards money and success, manage political anxiety, develop gratitude, savor food, and face death.
Readers will walk away knowing more about an important school of philosophy, but moreover understanding how to get what they want in life--happiness--without the anxiety of striving for it.