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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books History of Western Philosophy 2.4 Ethical Period [about 350-200 Bce] 2.4.1 Epicureanism and stoicism The following on Epicureanism and Stoicism is a brief complement to the longer discussion on Stoicism, which is taken up again, below: The Epicureans and Stoics.

These thinkers were concerned primarily with ethics however the ethics needed a metaphysics and cosmology and a theory of knowledge and truth in terms of sense experience they were pioneers of the empirical tradition in epistemology. They were nominalists a universal is not a reality but a mark or sign: the only realities are particulars. They were also forerunners of medieval nominalism.

Opinions and hypotheses must be confirmed by sense experience or at least suggested by perception and not contradicted by them. Epicurean metaphysics is, in its essentials, a restatement of the atomistic and materialistic mechanism of Democritus. Psychology also derives from the emanationism of Democritus likewise soul the nimble fiery soul atom is material; soul has a rational part, is mortal there is no afterlife to be feared.

Epicurean ethics is hedonism based on pleasure but not a basis for debauchery: some pleasures are followed by pains and many pains are followed by pleasures; therefore not all pleasures are to be chosen and not all pains avoided. Mental pleasures are greater than pleasures of the body, mental pains worse than physical pains therefore a life of prudence and wisdom is good and this has a naturalistic basis in the caprice of the world.

In truth, Epicureanism is an ethics of enlightened self-interest: Epicurus extolled the same virtues as did Plato, Aristotle and the stoics wisdom, courage, temperance and justice but for different reasons. [However, although the pleasure-theory of Epicurus is not a doctrine of sensuality, it came to be so interpreted by many.].

Epicurean 341 270 BCE social and political philosophy: the enlightened self-interest of the individual is the highest good; from here follows justice and right, laws and institutions, practical rules of action but only as means. 2.4.2 Skepticism and eclecticism Skepticism was contemporary with Stoicism and Epicureanism. After Socrates and the great system of Plato and Aristotle, time was right for a new period of movement of doubt.