Epicurus

Epicurus inspired a number of scientists (Galileo, Bruno, Huygens, Gassendi, Newton) and political thinkers (Bodin, Hobbes, Rousseau) and was also of great importance for 19th century philosophy (Arthur Schopenhauer, Friedrich Nietzsche and Karl Marx). His most important pupil was the Roman philosopher Lucretius Carus.

His doctrine was based on the atomism of Democritus, where he allowed for the existence of spontaneous variation in the motion of otherwise completely mechanical atoms. He fundamentally rejected the concept of fatal necessity and theology. This is referred to as "Epicurean metaphysics".

Within his philosophy, he gave the greatest weight to ethics. He considered the goal to be a blissful life and peace of mind, from which happiness springs. He considered pleasure to be the instrument used to achieve this goal. Determining the needs that must be satisfied in order to achieve happiness is also an important element. To avoid fear, one needs to acquire reason. Only with it can he discern what brings him misery and what, on the contrary, does not.

In his school he was admired as a "liberator from fear", a "saviour" and a "light bearer". Outside it, he and his teachings were labelled anti-social. The main reason was that he rejected the idea that the gods were interested in the world or any ordinary person.

Epicurus was the author of many works, but the vast majority have not survived. Only a few letters to his pupils and his inventory of forty ethical ideas have survived.