Introduction
Both Stoicism and Epicureanism were founded in Athens around 300 BC, suggesting that humans should stay away from excessive pleasure and desires. The central claim made by Epicurus in his work is that happiness is the only pleasure in life, which is mainly connected with the avoidance of both mental and physical pain. Higher pleasures are considered preferable, such as the aspiration for knowledge and virtue. Zeno of Citium, the founder of Stoicism, argued that virtue is enough for achieving happiness while living in accordance with their own nature allows people to reach the desired outcomes of good living. Stoics have the moral responsibility to conform to natural laws and develop internal attitudes such as courage, prudence, justice, and temperance.
Discussion
Exploring the characteristics that the two philosophes deem necessary for reaching happiness, it is possible to suggest that Epicureanism and Stoicism agree with the Aristotelian perspective. It entails that the sort of an individual one becomes and the lifestyle one adopts will have a direct influence on the actions and behaviors one shows. However, the approaches a person takes to achieve happiness are pretty different. Specifically, the goal of Epicureanism is achieving pleasure by removing physical pain and anxiety. It considers three desire categories, which include natural but not necessary, natural and necessary, and unnatural.
Notably, the followers of this philosophy aim to refuse all unnatural desires, including the personal ambition of an individual to become famous or gain political power. These desires are seen as potentially causing anxiety to people, which is why it is necessary to eliminate them and free one’s body from additional mental strain. It is only the desires that allow for freeing the body from the pain that matter within the approach (Pojman 189). Important desires that can help a person free from pain and suffering include shelter and adequate nutrition and hydration for gaining nourishment. By aspiring to live a frugal lifestyle and being aware of one’s desires, an Epicurean is capable of fully appreciating the occasional luxuries. Finally, the way to secure happiness in life is the result of withdrawing oneself from public life and staying close to a few but like-minded individuals who share similar values.
In contrast to the epicurean perspective on living a good life and achieving happiness, Stoics place greater importance on pursuing and avoiding things, which, as a result, will serve people well in the future. Stoics emphasize the necessity of living in accordance with nature, while virtue itself is derived from reason. Any other so-called goods should be viewed with indifference – even if the virtuous individual endure tragedies throughout their life, including physical pain, they still reach eudaimonia (state of a ‘good spirit’, happiness) because their virtuous character was never corrupted (Copleston 323).
Conclusion
Therefore, once a person becomes virtuous, there are no external factors that can adversely impact their life. Overall, stoics view virtue as the ultimate limit of happiness, with the focus placed on the fulfillment of internal desires. This approach is different from Epicureanism, which makes the obtainment of external goods more desirable. The opposition between the two philosophies is illustrated in the fact that Epicureans do not acknowledge virtuous living as a secret to happiness but rather focus on maximizing pleasures that can help fill one’s life with joy within the realms of frugality.
Works Cited
Copleston, Frederick. A History of Philosophy. Volume I: Greece and Rome. Image Books, 1994.
Pojman, Louis P. Classics of Philosophy: Volume I: Ancient and Medieval. Oxford University Press, 1997.