Epicurus believed that the most reliable way to be happy is to reduce one’s desires until it’s easy to satisfy them. He distinguishes three types of desires: natural and necessary, natural and unnecessary and vain. Of these, only the natural desires deserve any consideration, according to Epicurus – and because they are natural, they will be easy to fulfil.
This article is part of The Ultimate Guide to Epicurus.
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In this article, we’ll talk about two main points of Epicurus’ philosophy of happiness: how to distinguish which desires are better than others — and what pleasures really are. Epicurus believes that if we only understood our own desires and the nature of pleasure correctly, it would be easy for us to lead happy and meaningful lives without wasting enormous effort on pursuing the wrong goals.
Misunderstanding Epicurus
If there was a prize for being misunderstood as a philosopher, Epicurus and his view of desires would make a great candidate.
Dictionary.com defines: “Epicurean: Fond of or adapted to luxury or indulgence in sensual pleasures; having luxurious tastes or habits, especially in eating and drinking.”
Merriam-Webster: “Epicurean: Involving an appreciation of fine food and drink.”
The Cambridge English Dictionary: “Epicurean: Getting pleasure from food and drink of high quality.”
Poor Epicurus. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Epicurus advocated that we should reduce our desires to what is natural and necessary so that they are easier to fulfil. For him, happiness consists in fulfilling one’s desires, and since natural desires are easier to satisfy, concentrating on those will make sure that we live happy lives.
Of course, we all desire things. We want an iPhone. Or a better house. A faster car. A family, perhaps. A good meal. On a more basic level, we want to be fed. To avoid being hungry. To avoid thirst, and cold, and too much heat. To not stand in the rain. To not be threatened by wild animals.
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Reading Epicurus: Pleasure and pain
For Epicurus, pleasure is nothing but the absence of pain. Pain can further be subdivided into pain of the body and trouble in the soul.
Epicurus and the three types of desires
Epicurus looks at all these desires, and he sees three distinct types.
- First, there are desires that we have due to our nature. Hunger, thirst, the need for sleep. These are also necessary to satisfy. If not satisfied, they will cause pain.
- Then there are desires that are natural, but which won’t cause physical pain if not fulfilled. For instance, having friends. Or, perhaps, having sex. (He’s not entirely clear on which desires would fall under this group).
- And finally, there are all the other desires we have. Phones, cars, expensive …
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