Thinking On Sunday: Epicurus and the Art of Happiness

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Published 2021-05-05
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Over two thousand years ago, the Greek philosopher Epicurus offered a seemingly simple answer: pleasure. All we really want is pleasure.

In this #online #talk, Philosopher John Sellars takes us through the basic arguments of Epicureanism with wonderful clarity, distilling the essence of an ancient philosophy that speaks with increasing urgency to our troubled times.

[This talk was held online by Conway Hall in 2021, whilst our London venue was closed during the Covid-19 lockdown in the UK]



Conway Hall hosts a wide variety of talks, concerts, exhibitions, courses, performances, community and social events. It is also renowned as a hub for free speech and independent thought, hosting suffragettes, political radicals, scientists, philosophers, artists, performers; campaign, charities and other non- profit organisations.

All Comments (8)
  • @oldhippie81
    I enjoyed this so much. Just ordered Johns book.
  • @rebeccad8568
    This was so clear (although now I have a ton of questions!) but thank you very much
  • @sihaves8808
    Thank you for this. I greatly enjoyed. I'm very much influenced by Epicurus and his philosophy.
  • @Kueytwo
    I think I am a free thinker, who is very in tuned with optimistic Stoicism with a hopeful touch of all will work out well in the end. Epicurus would make a good monk. Living unnoticed means that any good you do for charity can be done in secret without pomp or circumstance. Religious studies, cultural and ethnic history, philosophy and domestic studies, personal hygiene, and DIY skills can be taught as extra-curricular but mandatory studies, before college age would be great. Most governments know down to the penny exactly how much funds each single person household needs to have as income, and to own a small property and live comfortably: Yet, every employer is allowed or encouraged to pay wages that are below that amount. Since most people have to work to support living, it is the government who are allowing business to keep workers poor to the point of slavery.
  • I rather think that neo-Stoicism is essentially Epicureanism by another name.