Living for Pleasure

September 12, 2022
This discerning debut from Austin, a philosophy professor at Wake Forest University, defends the ancient Greek ethical philosophy of Epicureanism. “Pleasures both large and small give shape and color to our lives,” suggests Austin, examining the insights of fourth-century BCE philosopher Epicurus on how to eliminate anxiety and enjoy life. Austin outlines Epicurus’s biography and focuses on his founding of the Garden, a “philosophical community” near Athens characterized by frequent socializing and celebrations. The author explores Epicurus’s belief that the “rational capacities” of humans produce unique desires—including the need for close friends and a “commitment to virtues”—that must be met to achieve happiness. Science plays a vital role in the philosopher’s conception of the good life, Austin contends, because he believed that it vanquished superstitions, though she notes his contention that science helps inhibit fear of death is difficult to support given the complex interplay between knowledge and anxiety during the Covid-19 pandemic. Austin provides an accessible and intellectually rigorous overview of Epicureanism that remains refreshingly forthright about the limits of Epicurus’s advice and keeps an appropriately light tone (Epicurus was not the “ringleader of life-long frat boys in period-appropriate togas,” she writes). The result is an excellent primer on Epicureanism.

November 1, 2022
Greek sage Epicurus' (341-270 BCE) philosophy stressed the importance of enjoying the pleasures of life. Cicero and Seneca, among other detractors, interpreted Epicureanism as mere hedonism. But, as Austin argues, Epicurus' emphasis was on a life of continued pleasure, free from anxiety. He measured ethics with happiness and asked whether delaying instant gratification was worth future happiness. The greatest pleasure an individual could obtain, according to Epicurus, was tranquility. Followers of Epicureanism should possess enough money to be secure and maintain strong, meaningful friendships. Fear of death is anathema to a pleasurable existence; reflecting on pleasant memories provides the antidote. Desires are good as long as they aren't unnatural or damaging. Austin breaks down the ideologies of the renowned thinker, contrasts them with thoughts from philosophers who followed him, and applies Epicureanism to the present. Examining the tenets of Epicureanism in fine detail, Austin provides the audience with her insightful interpretations throughout and offers a kindred spirit to all readers who seek the finer things in life.

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