Epicurus, Roman Epicureanism, and Plotinus: Key Concepts
Samos Epicurus
Samos Epicurus in Athens. His study and teachings on writing are too fragmentary to be definitively categorized. He addressed different themes, such as natural and ethical principles. His key ideas include:
- Natural philosophy and epistemological natural philosophy. His sensationalism is a continuation of Democritus’ thesis about atoms and their properties, with a twist: the atoms move and collide according to variations. Nature allows for a degree of arbitrariness. Sensations are consequences of atoms separating from things, producing images similar to those from which they proceed.
The philosophy of happiness emphasizes how life should unfold without anxieties, as a condition of happiness. Both natural science and philosophy contribute to this release from four fears: fear of the gods, fear of death, the inability to achieve pleasure, and the inevitability of pain.
- The criterion of pleasure is key to happiness. Choosing or rejecting anything depends on its ability to produce pleasure. Pleasure is unique, and pain is the only evil. A wise person must exercise prudence to moderate their appetite through temperance, in order to maintain peace of mind.
The cult of friendship is one of its more common practices.
The Roman Epicureanism
The Roman Epicureanism of Epicurus’ original doctrine was interpreted in Rome as a hedonistic invitation to sensual and corporal pleasures, something Epicurus repeatedly rejected in his writings.
Lucretius was its maximum representative. His Roman Epicurean poem focuses on a critical concept of nature. For Lucretius, nature is a resort of things and beings without beginning or reason, and its organization is spontaneous.
Plotinus
Dry Ammonium was his disciple.
Real beings must be valued as integral parts of the One. Their individuality is less important than their role within the universal unity.
As reality, the One (God) alone cannot fully express itself. It has no form, quality, quantity, intelligence, soul, or time. It is neither mobile nor immobile.
- The One and its descending emanations: All things are caused by emanation from the Intelligence. The first emanation is the Intelligence itself, and the second is the Soul.
Matter is considered evil, the opposite of the One. Plotinus holds that the universe consists of opposing forces: good and evil. Matter does not emanate from God, but from chaos. Matter plays a negative role, obscuring the soul. The soul is good, while the body is evil.
- The return to the One: Since the soul comes from God, all things, even those mixed with matter, retain a connection to Him. The soul’s mission and purpose is to return to the One. The soul is a unity substantially connected to the body, but retains its capacity for unity. It rises to the One through virtues, the three loves of the soul, and ecstasy.
For Plotinus, the goal is not to escape the world of matter, but to attain divine contemplation.