Lucretius Short Paper - Essay Example

nological revolution brought out civilization depressed and stressed human beings, and I claim that if we are to lead a happy life, we should follow the concept of Epicurus – to free our mental and psychological distress from the mind in order to restore the connection with the inner self and with the nature. The Epicurean standpoint about the highest good in life is pure pleasure, both literary and figuratively, and it does not involve either psychical or psychological pain. Jones (1989) states that as a moral reformer, Epicurus’s concepts for happy life were based on his understanding of the natural world which surrounds us and on the beliefs that there is a relationship between human body and soul.

“Many people pursue philosophy for the sake of (wealth or reputation) as though they will obtain these things from private persons of kings who come to believe that philosophy is some great and costly possession. But we have not hastened to undertake the same study so that any of the above rewards should come to us also, but so that we may be happy, gaining possession of the end and purpose of life sought by nature (Philosophy 304, 2008, Dr. Alexander, 24).” Mans unhappiness stemms from his own vain desires to possess knowledge, goods and people.

However when people are unable to find comfort in the material possessions they are unhappy. Thus, people surrounded with technological innovations who do not find them pleasurable any more end up being unhappy. The supreme good for Epicureanism is the absence of pain from the body and the soul. People nowadays have mainly soul troubles. Epicurus concluded that "freedom from pain in the body and from trouble in the mind" is the ultimate aim of a happy life (Epicurus cited in Clay 1983, 65).” The Homeric outlook about happy life can be best described by the story of Odyssey.

After the end of the Trojan War, he was supposed to go home. However, his homecoming has been delayed for ten years due to the anger of the