In his letter to Menoeceus, Epicurus discusses different elements that pertain to the wholesomeness of life. He reviews what brings happiness and contentment to human beings and integrates it to the existence of God and the ultimate phenomenon of death. The letter gives a vivid insight into what human fears revolve around. The element of knowledge and seeking wisdom is also a prime issue in the letter. Epicurus insists that everyone, both young and old, should engage in the constant pursuit of knowledge and ultimately wisdom. This pursuit should be undertaken relentlessly and should be done with an open mind. According to Epicurus, happiness should be the most important thing that humans should seek. He views it as the gateway to other components that contribute towards a good life here on earth.
Epicurus believes that a young person can be old at the same time. The preparedness of young people to tackle issues that are pertinent to their well-being regardless of their complexity is what gives them attributes that are associated with adults. This is also linked to the element of anxiety. Epicurus believes that people should avoid anxiety. Still using the illustrative model of a young person, Epicurus states that people should avoid being anxious about what the future holds since they are not sure whether they will be alive (Epicurus, n.d.). He warns young people about ignorance, especially that of knowledge and wisdom. There is the need for young people to grow as they assimilate knowledge and wisdom since they are important aspects of a happy life.
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God is portrayed as the most instrumental determinant of a happy life. Epicurus believes that without God, life is vanity. Our physical and spiritual existence is also hugely attributed to the belief in God as the utmost creator who deserves worship. Epicurus encourages Menoeceus to first acknowledge the existence of God and give Him His place as the almighty. He stipulates that God is immortal and does not exist in the physical bodies that we human beings dwell in. Amidst the existence of God, there exist gods who are portrayed as non-immortal. The criteria used by the gods to deliver acts of goodness or punishment are based on the actions of an individual. The greatest goodness acts happen to those who are spiritually whole while those who practice evilness fall to the demise of their actions.
Epicurus perceives desires and pleasures as aspects that lead to happiness (Botton, 2012). According to Epicurus, desires can be natural or groundless. He explains that natural desires are part of the formation of human beings and there is very little control that human beings can exert over these desires. Pleasures are portrayed as rudimentary elements that constitute happiness. It is through the experience of pleasures that people become happy. Epicurus is keen to note that these desires and pleasures may be the aspects that lead to our demise as humans. To this end, he insists on the prioritization of pure desires and pleasures that lead to our happiness.
Anxiety, according to Epicurus, should not dominate the thoughts of people. Epicurus believes that most people are anxious about what may or may not happen. He states that people are always worried and fearful about death, something that should be avoided for those who are in pursuit of happiness. Epicurus classifies the overall aspect of contentment as one of the greatest culminating elements of happiness. He further goes ahead to state that true satisfaction is free from anxiety or the worry about what tomorrow holds. Three types of desires have different motivations. They include natural desires, which are usually necessary for our existence (food and shelter). The second type is natural but non-necessary desires; which include luxury foods. The last type is vain and empty desires. Examples include fame, power, and wealth (O'Keefe, n.d.).
References
Botton, A. (2012). Epicurus on Happiness - Philosophy : A Guide to Happiness. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irornIAQzQY&t=4s
Epicurus. (n.d.). Letter to Menoeceus. Retrieved from http://classics.mit.edu/Epicurus/menoec.html
O'Keefe, T. (n.d.) Epicurus . Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved from https://www.iep.utm.edu/epicur/#SH5c
