Epicurus' View at Fear of Death - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages The philosophy argues that since the predominant source of unhappiness was the human body, happiness could only be derived when the body became devoid of pain or suffering, therefore relieving the human from psychic trauma.
Epicureans advocated that for humans to circumvent their fear of gods, and their fear of death humanity should adopt a rational and highly practical approach to life. Epicureans feel confident that both god and death are not exceptionally preoccupied with human beings. These supernatural forces have a wide variety of responsibilities and human beings only constitute a small fraction of their concerns.
The Epicurean perspective on death is a poignant and pragmatic truth that posits: Death cannot inflict pain on humans because the human essence no longer persists ‘after death’; and humans need not fear any pain of death, as death didn’t capture them during their worldly lives. That is, there is no need to fear death since by the time of death the body ceases to bear worldly sensation -- thus, the pangs of death are not experienced. Ultimately, Epicurean philosophy contends that humans need not fear death because it is not an experience that is felt or endured.
According to Epicurean theory, unhappiness is the outer manifestation of inner anxieties and fears caused by worldly longings. The physical pain and suffering one endures are also aggregates of this unhappiness. In this regard, one might consider later day developments in Buddhist philosophy, with particular reference to the Four Noble Truths which posit that Enlightenment will only be attained after the cessation of material cravings. Epicurus offers an extremely similar philosophical doctrine. According to Epicureanism, the absence of unhappiness or suffering could be rendered by man’s constant engagement in working towards internal peace and harmony.  ...Download file to see next pagesRead More