Philosopher Spotlight: Epicurus

Epicurus (341 BC - 270 BC), an influential Greek philosopher in the Hellenistic era, was the founder of the school of Epicureanism. Competing with the Stoics who promoted virtue and emotional resilience, Epicureanism promoted a life of healthy pleasures and minimal pain. According to Epicurus, happiness wasn’t about chasing pleasure in the usual sense, but about reaching a steady state of calm, called ataraxia. He thought much of our stress comes from unnecessary desires and quiet fears we rarely question, especially around loss, status, and death. His response wasn’t to withdraw from life, but to live more deliberately: valuing enough over excess, and clarity over constant wanting.

In that spirit, let us look at how these ancient ideas hold up in a world designed to keep us wanting. We’ll discuss where our own "disturbances" come from and whether simplicity is actually as easy as Epicurus made it sound. Just as Epicurus met his intellectual contemporaries in 'The Garden', let's convene at The Rhino to have a relaxed conversation over his life and work.

No reading is necessary 🏛