The Philosophical Review · 1991 · 249 citations · 0 references
HumanitiesPhilosophyAestheticsAncient PhilosophyMythologyDeath BeliefsDeath EthicsDying EthicsEpic TraditionEpicurean PhilosophyProblem Of EvilBeliefs About Death And DyingEpicurean EthicsEpicurean TheologyReligious Views Of DeathTheology Of DeathViews
Epicureans regard death as neither fear nor misfortune, viewing it as no worse for the deceased than being unborn. The study asks why Epicureans hold these unconventional views. Epicurus argues that death is not harmful because it involves no experience for the deceased.
Death is nothing to Epicureans. They do not fear or hate death. They do not view death as a misfortune for the deceased. They think death is no worse for the deceased than is not yet being born for the as yet unborn. They say that ordinary people, who look forward to their deaths with dismay, are in this irrational. Why do they hold these odd views? In his central argument for these conclusions, Epicurus says: