The Debate Over Happiness: Stoics vs. Epicureans vs. Skeptics
Introduction to Hellenistic Philosophy
Stoicism, Skepticism, and Epicureanism are known as Hellenistic philosophy … and their proposals for how to live the good life are wild:
Many things we despair of, these schools prescribe to bring about happiness. For example, atomism, believing the world is nothing but atoms buzzing in the void creates great distress for people today. But the Epicureans prescribe atomism to free people from the worry of divine punishment. For them, materialism and reductionism is not a cause of nihilism, it's a cause of happiness. In like manner, the skeptics believed that paralyzing doubt, a suspension of judgement of the most important questions about the world, is not a hinderance but the secret to happiness.
What I loved about these odd proposals for the good life is how they’ve challenged the fundamental assumptions I had around happiness and I hope they will do the same for you.
Topics We Cover:
02:39 What is Hellenistic Philosophy
04:44 How The Ancients Defined the Good Life
09:39 Why Hellenistic Philosophy Abandoned Politics for Inner Peace
15:08 How Stoicism Evolved From Greece to Rome
20:11 The Stoic Definition of Happiness
32:32 Atomism: How Epicureans Explained the Universe
38:15 Why Pleasure Is the Ultimate Epicurean Good
48:47 Why Atomists Believed in God
55:31 How Epicurean Ideas Shape the Modern World
58:36 Why Doubt Is A Virtue for the Skeptics
01:07:22 What Modern Skeptics Miss About Ancient Skepticism
01:17:38 Ethics as First Philosophy
01:19:20 How Socrates Shaped Hellenistic Philosophy
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