The Fourfold Remedy
Epicurus and the Art of Happiness
Published on 7. January 2021
Book
Hardback
96 pages
978-0-241-41956-4 (ISBN)
Description
What do we really need in order to live a happy life? An Epicurean antidote to anxiety
Over two thousand years ago the Greek philosopher Epicurus offered a seemingly simple answer: all we really want is pleasure.
Today we tend to associate the word 'Epicurean' with the enjoyment of fine food and wine and decadent self-indulgence. But, as philosopher John Sellars shows, these things are a world away from the vision of a pleasant life developed by Epicurus and his followers who were more concerned with mental pleasures and avoiding pain. Their goal, in short, was a life of tranquillity.
In this uplifting and elegant book, Sellars walks us through the history of Epicureanism from a private garden on the edge of ancient Athens to the streets of Rome, showing us how it can help us think anew about joy, friendship, nature and being alive in the world.
Over two thousand years ago the Greek philosopher Epicurus offered a seemingly simple answer: all we really want is pleasure.
Today we tend to associate the word 'Epicurean' with the enjoyment of fine food and wine and decadent self-indulgence. But, as philosopher John Sellars shows, these things are a world away from the vision of a pleasant life developed by Epicurus and his followers who were more concerned with mental pleasures and avoiding pain. Their goal, in short, was a life of tranquillity.
In this uplifting and elegant book, Sellars walks us through the history of Epicureanism from a private garden on the edge of ancient Athens to the streets of Rome, showing us how it can help us think anew about joy, friendship, nature and being alive in the world.
Reviews / Votes
Not only an excellent introduction to the history of Epicurean philosophy, but also a helpful guide to facing the manifold anxieties of modern life * The Idler * Lucid and scholarly * Daily Telegraph * Many have sought therapeutic remedies for anxiety and insomnia as well as advice on how to feel happier. Some ancient Mediterranean answers to such psychological issues can be found in John Sellars's little book. . . Epicureanism can ease contemporary worries, Sellars believes; in some ways it resembles cognitive behavioural therapy * Guardian * In this brief and eloquent book, 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. It is an exemplary guide, and I recommend it enthusiastically to readers of all ages and all walks of life. -- David Konstan, Professor of Classics, New York UniversityMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Penguin Books Ltd
Target group
Professional and scholarly
College/higher education
Dimensions
Height: 187 mm
Width: 120 mm
Thickness: 15 mm
Weight
148 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-241-41956-4 (9780241419564)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
01/2021
1st Edition
Penguin Books Ltd
€6.99
Available for download
Person
John Sellars is a lecturer in Philosophy at Royal Holloway, University of London and a member of Wolfson College, Oxford. He is the author of Lessons in Stoicism and The Art of Living as well as one of the founder members of Modern Stoicism, the group behind Stoic Week, an annual global event inviting members of the public to 'live like a Stoic for a week' to see how it might improve their lives. His books have been translated into ten languages.