the Greek philosopher Epicurus, DEFENDER OF MATERIALISM belong to us. Very soon there will be more than a handful of dust
, a shadow, a fiction. "
(Persius, Satires , V, 151)
Religions like Christianity teaches us that through suffering is achieved spiritual evolution. Sorrow, penitence sacrifice, asceticism, mortification of the flesh, the renunciation of pleasure ... Questions Hallowed by Paul of Tarsus to convince us that the greater the suffering the greater the eternal reward. Life as a preparation for death. "The way of perfection passes through the cross. There is no holiness without renunciation and spiritual battle. Spiritual progress entails asceticism and mortification " says still the Catechism of the Catholic Church [1] . The Christian must be involved somehow in the sufferings of Christ if you want to save your soul. You must escape the pleasures of the world and aspire only to spiritual pleasures that await after death, and to achieve this have stoically endured the torments of his particular ordeal in this valley of tears. In fact, the martyr, "according to the Church, martyrdom is " the supreme witness to the truth of faith " - directly into the Kingdom of Heaven. "Let me thirsty beasts grazing. For them I will come to God as " [2] , wrote Ignatius of Antioch, illustrious Church Father. As Basil the Great, bishop and Doctor of the Church said: "We [Christians] we assume that this life is not worth anything and everything temporarily went to the attainment of a future life [...] Far from us to serve the body, beyond what is necessary, before the soul always demos best part, trying to redeem her from the jail where the prisoner has the company's lower body and its appetites " [3] ...
much harm have produced these dire religious ideas over and ever! Many neurotic minds and lives wiped out in pursuit of a chimera heavenly! ... Platonic idealism is where discover the story of the immortal soul that inspired all these schizoid postulates are intended to torment the body, to despise the pleasures and sell the fallacy that real life is nothing but the post mortem life. In Plato already saw him his fanatical vein trying to burn the works of Democritus atomistic, which prevented the Pythagoreans and clinical Amyclas are rejecting the material world and immanent, which he considered a fiction, while it praised the intangible world and real thought [4] . This idealist tendency, present in Paul, Augustine, Descartes, Kant, Hegel, etc. .- was imposed on all materialistic philosophies such as Epicurean, who were buried in a miserable. Note how the use of philosophy manuals act as ideological instruments, imposing the ideal line and silencing the material despite the importance it had in ancient Greece (remember names such as Leucippus, Antisthenes, Antiphon, Protagoras, Aristippus of Cyrene, Epicurus, Philodemus of Gadara, etc.). "Magical thinking adulterous classical historiography of philosophy. For some strange reason, the apostles of pure reason and the transcendental deduction commune with the mythology they create, and then reproduce use force to teach, write articles, broadcasting, writing and publishing the tales that, from time to repeat them, they become true and sacred words ", denounces the French philosopher Michel Onfray in his work force to exist (Manifesto hedonistic) [5] . Soon I will make a fitting tribute to this great thinker who has jeopardized the dominant historiography, by rescuing from oblivion the great philosophers, atheists, materialists and hedonists, to claim the body from the soul, pleasure against the ascetic ideal and the life instinct in front of the drive death. Attests to its extraordinary Contrahistoria of philosophy [6] , a must read.
Plato and Aristotle, far from the EPICURE PHILOSOPHERS Christianity, "I always wanted to be convinced of the impossibility of finding happiness in this world and would only achievable in an imaginary beyond - was responsible for a fulminant off the lights of the materialist philosophy that denies any significance and we intends to enjoy this life, the only one. Epicureanism, which gave great importance to the pursuit of rational truth, which refused to intervene in our world of gods who reward and punish, who fought against religious superstition, which claimed the passion and desire, which sought to eradicate all fear death, which proclaimed human freedom, which scorned the suffering and appreciated the love for life, was one of many philosophical buried unworthily. After Paul, who showed so much hatred toward the earth, on any naturalist and anti-Platonic philosophy. Theocracy was imposed and Christian, intolerant and murderous culture. "Ah, what a magnificent scene! I laugh and I will feel happy and elated when I see those wise philosophers who taught that the gods are indifferent, and that men have no souls, roasting and burning in his own disciples in hell! ", said Tertullian, fighter apologist Christian. Here we have the love of neighbor that both
preach ... Anyway, let's talk about Epicureanism, with whose philosophical principles I feel so identified.
GARDEN VS. ACADEMY
The rigid, elitist and closed Academy founded by Plato competed with Garden Epicurus, who imposed no rules, no esoteric secrecy playing, not teaching math or logic [7] , did not participate in political life [8] and permitted to enter women and slaves (the first philosophical school which introduced the novelty). Anyone could enter the Garden with total freedom and also the treatment of Epicurus and his followers was based on friendship (philia ) and not in obedience and subordination, as other schools of thought. "Relations between the sage and his disciples were developing in an atmosphere of friendship and trust, and in an atmosphere of freedom, regarded almost as elements of a therapy leading to cure the ills of the soul and achieve peace and balance inherent in the goal of achieving a happy life " [9] , says Montserrat Jufresa, Ph.D. in classical philosophy. They were all one family, sharing the lessons philosophical in nature, in a loving environment far removed from political and social problems that are breathed in the capital (as opposed to Plato, whose philosophy was closely linked to the life of the polis ) [10] . The purpose of Epicureanism, essentially vital and moral, was to achieve happiness (eudaimonia ) here and now, not after death, live joyfully present, discarding all these fictions about an alleged beyond that arouse so much fear in the vulgar. Epicureanism was, therefore, a philosophy realistic, practical, healthy, applicable to everyday life.
In 306 BC, right in the turbulent period of the Hellenistic world [11] - the philosopher Epicurus (342-270 BC), from the island of Samos, bought a property known Garden in the outskirts of Athens and founded his philosophical school there [12] . At the entrance, you could read the inscription: "Dude, this will remain happy, our goal is to find pleasure" [13] . A pleasure that had nothing to do with alleged sex parties and banquets, as rumors of bad language (due to the presence of women). Epicurean pleasure focused primarily on the rejection of pain and pleasure that occurs philosophize with friends, sharing good times conversation, exchange of ideas and deep thoughts [14] . The philosophy used as medicine for the soul. According to Epicurus, "when we say that pleasure is the only purpose, we do not mean the pleasures of the dissolute and rakes [...] but because of not feeling pain in the body or trouble in the soul" [15] . If there was any desire on the Epicureans was none other than understanding natural phenomena from the rational. Find a logical explanation of the cosmos without resorting to metaphysical tricks that troubled man. This is possible, they said, through the senses that give us accurate information-and the proper use of reason. With these solid truths about reality, giving way to empirical science, it was like these philosophers built their materialistic ethic. This is one of the great contributions of Epicurean epistemology.
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chased EPICUREANS SOUL SERENITY
Unfortunately, Epicurus-true heir of the atomistic mechanics of Democritus, have few surviving works and some of them incomplete, despite having been one of the most prolific philosophers of classical antiquity. They state that the philologists Carlos García Gual and Eduardo Acosta Méndez: "Of the many writings of the founder [of Epicureanism], one of the greatest philosophers of ancient literary works, there remains almost nothing. Not a book of almost fifty treaties [more than 300 rolls of papyrus] who wrote Epicurus. Only short excerpts, some selected sentences, and three letters or epitomes, preserved by a happy chance. Their inclusion in the work of an erudite historian of philosophy Diogenes Laertius more than five centuries away from Epicurus, has saved the almost total wreck of his texts. The disappearance of the written works of Epicurus was partly the effect of annihilating neglect of centuries, but also largely a result of the harsh censorship of their ideological enemies " [16] . These ideological foes were the Platonists, the Stoics and Christians. Among those lost works, highlighted About nature, made no less than thirty-seven books [17] .
ATARAXIA
The basis of the doctrine Epicurean was in the pursuit of pleasure, but always avoiding unpleasure. Epicurus warned already not to pursue a pleasure that could later cause a nuisance outcome. So much so, that was not very supportive of marriage and fatherhood, as he felt that eventually produce confusion instead of pleasure, being an obstacle to happiness. Having children requires them to worry excessively. Is an absolute commitment, so the wise should get rid of this type of daily responsibilities. Do sensual pleasures?: Of course. Should enjoy this gift of life, but CAUTION: Always avoid sexual desire, which according to Epicurus, of course, but not necessary-end dominating them. The license does not lead to inner calm, as any excess brings embarrassment. So simple were the rules of Epicurean philosophy: anything that disturbs us, only that you provide serenity. For this philosopher, there are four causes of anxiety: the fear of the gods, death, pain and misconceptions. Does your choice or phármakon ?: To banish all fear of the gods and death, seeking the welfare, avoid pain, or stand quietly when there is no alternative, and philosophical approach to education, thus ensuring the proper trial and health of the soul. It is clear that for Epicurus, rational knowledge positively influences human morality, relieves pain and leads to happiness. The fears engendered by ignorance are eradicated when we seek, through reason, the real causes of the phenomena of nature. In his letter to Pitocles , the philosopher explains how to cause lightning and other celestial phenomena, negating any mythical interpretation. It also rejects the astral theology, or astrology, as Letter to Herodotus. For Epicurus, there is no causal connection between the stars and humans, as they believed the Platonists. Consciousness is thus liberated from the superstitious fears and achieve serenity. "The peace of mind born of freedom from all these fears and continuously remember the general principles and fundamental precepts. Therefore, we stick to what is present in the sense [...], as in the immediate evidence of each of the criteria. If we respect these principles, we will know without a doubt the reason for our confusion and our fear ", said Epicurus, who died at 72 years with the same serenity with which he lived, despite the great pain he suffered for two weeks because of a condition in the gallbladder. Before his death, the philosopher considered the latest in a materialistic world-old bathed in warm water and took a glass of wine, saying goodbye to his friends, but not before reminding them not to forget his teachings [18] . And the truth is that, from his first successor, Hermarco Mytilene-author of the works Contra Contra Plato and Aristotle - were able to show loyalty to the wise, for his hedonistic philosophy, which spread throughout the Roman world Lucretius and Philodemus, lasted nearly seven centuries, particularly to the late fourth century, when Emperor Theodosius decreed the Edict of Thessalonica [19] , being abolished all philosophies pagan, while the Christian Church became the rule, imposed its absolute truth and all knowledge became heresy contrary to doctrinal orthodoxy (the perishable materials at the time, but gloriously resurrected fourteen centuries later by the philosophers of the Enlightenment) [20] .
THE ATOM Democritus
According Epicurus, the soul is a corporeal substance composed of fine particles and spread throughout the body. Matter is indestructible. Everything is broken in the building blocks: atoms [21] . Also the soul. Therefore, the atomic charge any theological fiction roots. There is no place for the supernatural. If everything is reduced to the materials constituted by atoms and void, as Democritus suggested, "there are no options to metaphysical realities, or cosmic teleology, much less the existence of a beyond gloomy town of ghosts. There is only immanent. According to Epicurus, the universe had a beginning, but has always existed and will exist without a foreign agent. "Beyond the universe there is nothing, penetrating in it, be able to make a difference " [22] said the philosopher. An eternal universe, self-contained village of many worlds [23] . What did these ideas against the Christian church once installed in power? ... Destroy the works of philosophers and materialists slander: they are vicious, shameless, immoral, gluttons, drunkards, fornicators ... Apparently, they had no better arguments to rebut the strong ideas immanent. A Epicurus was considered a pig and his teachings should not be in any place ( "greg porcum Epicurus" [24] ). Constant harassment and demolition campaign against the Epicurean philosophy, as no persecution against those who defended it. Pretender deconstruct metaphysical religious myths and fables such visceral reactions involved ... But the truth is that Epicurus led an exemplary life, calm, savoring every second of this life to know for sure that we do not expect another. "He was kind to his servants, of a humanity without boundaries, rewarded with many friends and capable of sharing the scarce resources of the garden's famous garden during a famine in Athens [25] , says historian Pascal Charbonnat. Fed only with a crust of bread and a piece of cheese. And drink water. Those were his binges! No longer needed to live. To whet the appetite and thirst was enough. None of overloading the stomach. Life in the Garden was simple and frugal. Was ruled by austerity. Epicurus himself put it perfectly clear: "Not the drink, not food or sex, but the judicious reasoning which leads to a happy life" . That is the ataraxia (equanimity), which is only the serenity mental, inner peace, the complete absence of pain. Is there anything more spiritual than that? ... However, the idealist tradition was responsible for distorting the Epicurean philosophy by presenting it as an obscenity. Epicureanism was, as we clear the historian Emilio Lledó Seville, "one of the most creative messages of philosophical thought, for reasons not difficult to understand, has been manipulated and distorted by those who felt threatened lies and hypocrisy that feed " [26] . For his part, Garcia Gual says: "rightly I think, has said that no other philosopher of antiquity has been so maligned as Epicurus, the materialism, hedonism, the denier of immortality of the soul and divine providence, and therefore the enemy of religion and State " [27] . Therefore, the virtuous Epicurus, who defended life, peace, pleasure, freedom and solidarity, vilified by those who tortured, murdered and followed a doctrine that orbited death. And won the scoundrels. That's the human condition ...
is interesting to note that Epicurus was not an atheist [28] . He claimed that the gods exist and inhabit the spaces Intercosmos ( Intermundia ), but not meddle in human affairs do not belong to a transcendent world ( "If there are gods, they do not deal with us" , Epicurus sentence). Participate in our very nature, but at a more subtle, more perfect. Therefore, the Epicurean gods have nothing to do with the traditional gods of religions nor with the demiurge and the gods that exposes Plato in his Timaeus therefore are also in a transcendent world. Epicurean gods, happy and incorruptible, are perfectly integrated in the immanent principles of natural philosophy. "It is impious to the gods who removed most, but who gives the gods the opinions of the majority. Because there are preconceptions but false assumptions of the majority judgments of the gods. Hence, the greatest damages and profits come from the gods " [29] , wrote the scientist.
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Women participate in PHILOSOPHICAL SCHOOL OF GARDEN
Death, like the gods, also produces profound despair in man. The gods we can avoid them, simply do not believe in them or denying the divine providence, but death is an inexorable law of nature. So Epicurus recommends that we deal with it quite naturally, without the slightest fear. In his letter to Meneceo , philosophical read the following advice:
"Get used to think that death is nothing to us. For every good and evil lies in the sensation, and death is the privation of feeling. Therefore, the right knowledge that nothing is for death makes us happy the mortal condition of our lives, not because you add an unlimited period, but because it removes the craving of immortality. Nothing, then, in living for those who rightly understood that nothing terrible in not living there. So is a fool who says he fears death, not because you oppress a show, but because you expect it anguish. As far as the present does not cause disturbance vainly grieve, while waiting. So the most dreadful of all evils for us, since, as we are, death is not present, and when death occurs, then do not exist. Nothing is changed, then, to the living or the dead, because for those not there and they are no longer ... The wise, however, refuses or is afraid of life or not living. Because it does not overwhelm the living, not consider it an evil not to live. "
Epicureanism, TODAY
is clear that the Epicurean philosophy is outdated. On the contrary, is still very valid to implement, especially in the turbulent times currently very similar to that witnessed the birth of Epicureanism [30] - where so many people are disoriented, unhappy and persuaded by vain superstitions, looking for existential answers in wrong places and still being led by gurus, enlightened seers, priests and other "souls dealers" when they do not become slaves consumerism and create wealth find happiness getting [31] . Epicurus proposed a tortuous path to reach all welfare. Cross it does not require much effort. It is a route open to anyone. It is a liberating philosophy, criticism, based on scientific knowledge and the demystification of the superstitious beliefs that cloud our thinking. A philosophy that teaches us to truly live through the noble use of reason. That is materialism advocated by Epicurus, far from trivial and ridiculous materialism that the dominant historiography-prostituted by ideological interests, Christians preferably presented to us as a common competitor against the Platonic and Aristotelian proposals that have been propagated as sublime (but served rather to be a mythological view of the world). An unequal fight and cheat whose purpose was none other than completely demolishing once distorted and discredited, the Epicurean thought. Rightly says Emilio Lledó: "The consumer society, in our time, has created a vacuum enjoy what is neither natural nor necessary, and has established a goal of dissatisfaction melancholy, the ideology of have, is completely detached understanding of Epicureanism as a theory of being [...] The Epicurean philosophy was revolutionary because he sensed the huge excess and misery to which such excess driving: growing atrophy to the ideals of true democracy and a threatening impoverishment of the capacity to reflect, to understand, devise ".
EPICURO PROPOSED understand natural phenomena through reason
build, then, in the XXI century, our own garden to style epicurean our freedom of thought, to live with pleasure produces research and cultivate wisdom - bios theoretikos - vain to dispel the assumptions and protect us from oppressive and hostile external world [32] . So, escape the embarrassment and embrace ataraxia. Break at once with the fatal spell of Platonic dualism and free ourselves from the illusory ghosts it raises. Be guided by the very nature [33] and not be tempted by the artificial and ephemeral pleasures it gives us the degraded society around us. Reclaim an individualist ethic and discard the doxa popular, as did the Greek philosopher. And will ensure our mental and physical. And to make it Epicurus himself who put the finishing touches on that I wanted to pay tribute, read another of his sage advice:
"Let no one, while it is young, is remiss in philosophy, nor, to grow old, to philosophize tired. Because, to achieve the health of mind, you're never too old or too young. Who says it still has not arrived an hour or longer passed the age, is like saying that happiness has not yet reached the point, or already left behind. Thus, practice philosophy both young and old, one, so that even older, can stay young in your happiness through the memories of the past, the other, so you can be young and old at the time showing his composure in front of the future. We think, therefore, the things that we reported happiness, because if we enjoy it, we own everything and, if we want, we do everything possible to get ". -----------
[1] Paragraph 2015, pg. 545.
[2] Romans.
[3] exhortation to young people on how to take the writings of pagan authors .
[4] is, above all, in his work Phaedo, where Plato makes clear his idea of \u200b\u200bthe immortality of the soul through a dialogue between Socrates, dying, and grieving friends.
[5] Published in 2008 by Anagram.
[6] so far have been published in Castilian the following volumes: The wisdom of old ; hedonistic Christianity; The baroque libertines, and The ultras of the Enlightenment . All published in Anagram.
[7] Some knowledge is transmitted through the Hellenic culture were considered superfluous by Epicurus, it did not lead to individual happiness as opposed to other knowledge.
[8] "A wise policy will not" said Epicurus.
[9] Works, Epicurus (Edit. Tecnos, 2008). Preliminary study, translation and notes Jufresa Montserrat.
[10] The same can be said of his pupil Aristotle, whose thought denying political and individual self-sufficiency, which he considers "civic animal," and advocating that philosophy should serve the citizen community, was obviously contrary to the teachings epicurean, which promoted self-sufficiency of the sage-government self-and non-participation in community work.
[11] Paul Nizan, in his work materialists of ancient (1938), describes perfectly the situation in Athens was going through at the time of Epicurus: "Between the years 307 and 261 is happening forty-six years of wars and riots, the government changes hands seven times, the parties fought for power, and foreign policy of Athens was altered again and again. On four occasions a foreign prince sets out its mandate and adjust the institutions. Three insurrectionary movements were bloodily suppressed. Athens suffers four sieges. Blood, fire, death, looting: the time of Epicurus ".
[12] "The wise love the countryside" , said Epicurus.
[13] In the pursuit of pleasure ( hedoné ) we find the golden rule of Epicurean ethics. "We say that Pleasure is the beginning and end of a happy life. Pleasure, because we recognize as our first and inherent right, and the party in every election and rejection, we refer to him as any good judge to rule in the sense ", Epicurus writes.
[14] "Of the goods that wisdom seeks for the happiness of a lifetime, the biggest by far is the acquisition of friendship" , says the wise in their Highest capital.
[15] Meneceo Letter.
[16] Epicurus Ethics (Barral Editores, 1974).
[17] of Epicurus, we have received only three letters, addressed to Herodotus, and Meneceo Pitocles, "the capital and Maximum Sentences Vatican, which consist of 81 fragments found in 1887 in a Vatican codex, which are nothing more than a series of appointments and ethical formulas. On the other hand, owe much to the Roman poet and philosopher Lucretius, as in his long poem De rerum natura offers basic keys on Epicureanism. The same applies to certain texts of Seneca, Sextus Empiricus and Philodemus.
[18] Thus in his farewell letter to Idomeneo , fragment reproduced by Diogenes Laertius: "While this happy day passes, which is both the last of my life, I write these lines . The pains in my stomach and bladder continue its course without support and increase its extreme condition. But all this is opposed by the joy of the soul by the recollection of our past conversations philosophical ".
[19] The Edict of Thessaloniki was enacted in 380, Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire. The text read: "We want all people who are governed by the administration of our clemency profess the religion which the divine Apostle Peter gave to the Romans, who until now has been preached as he preached, and it is clear that profess the Pontiff Damasus and the bishop of Alexandria, Peter, a man of apostolic holiness. This is, according to apostolic doctrine and the evangelical doctrine only believe in the divinity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit under the concept of equal majesty and of the pious Trinity. Computer with the name of Catholic Christians who follow this rule, while others judge them insane and crazy about to weigh the infamy of heresy. Their meeting places shall not receive the name of churches will be, first of God's vengeance, and then be punished by our own initiative we will take following the will of Heaven ".
[20] Interestingly, long before the Enlightenment, the great satirical poet and prose writer Francisco de Quevedo (1580-1645), a lover of classical culture, made a remarkable apology for the Greek philosopher in his Defence of Epicurus , published in Madrid in 1635. Paradoxically, wanted to see the driver of atomistic materialism and hedonistic philosopher Christian, looking for points of connection between his austere lifestyle and stoicism. I recommend reading this work that he has, in its edition of Tech (2008), an excellent preliminary study by the eminent scholar Eduardo Acosta Méndez.
[21] Epicurus said that the atoms in their trajectories, they collide with each other, they turn away, fall into the void ... A free and random movement (the clinamen described by Lucretius) able to find a correlation between physics and ethics, as it leaves room for human freedom in a mechanistic universe appearance (in turn, eradicate at a stroke idea of \u200b\u200ba destination implacable that directs our lives.) On the other hand, draws our attention to the possible connection could exist between the random atomic deviation becomes the subject, proposed by Epicurus, and indeterminism defended by modern physics.
[22] Letter to Herodotus.
[23] Lucretius wrote: "When frightened humanity under the weight of religion, he sought help at the Olimpo, Epicurus first dared to raise his eyes to heaven without being frightened of his appearance . Neither the history of the gods, nor lightning nor thunder could take away from its desire to open the doors of arcane nature. His soul traversed the ends of the earth, and mind and spirit examined the universe to tell us what can be and what never will be, what and where everything can not happen ".
[24] "Epicurus, swine among the Greeks" .
[25] History of materialist philosophies (Buridan Library, 2010).
[26] Epicureanism (Taurus, 2003).
[27] Epicurus (Alianza Editorial, 1981).
[28] Although Clement of Alexandria wrote in his Stromata , and as an insult, that Epicurus was the "originator of atheism" .
[29] Meneceo Letter.
[30] "It is undeniable that the philosophies of the Hellenistic period a terrible crisis arising from social, historical, but the philosophy is always the product of a crisis" , Carlos García Gual points.
[31] According to Epicurus "Many who were not found in riches including the release of its ills, but a change of these larger ones" .
[32] "When you already have some degree of security against the people, is obtained, cemented in this position and good provision of resources, the sharpest security that comes from tranquility and seclusion from the crowd ", argued the philosopher in his Maximum Capital.
[33] "All pleasure is an asset to the extent that is companion to nature ", said the founder of the Garden.
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