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The Epicureans did believe in the existence of the gods, but did not see them as central to living or being happy, which made them different from many other philosophers. However, the danger that Epicurus realized is that this pursuit can lead to indulgence that then leads back to pain. While satisfying oneself may seem harmless enough, it's pursuit could become an obsession that leads to pain. Therefore, moderation is key so that one does not become over zealous, or essentially addicted, to the pursuit of pleasure where they are unable to function and pursue a balanced life.
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Interest in simple pleasures is key, as interest in goals such as conquest or wealth could potentially lead to ruin. Minimizing pain and suffering are critical to maximize pleasure. It is also not the pursuits of lusts or desires so much but it is seeking knowledge, developing good friendships, and banishing ideas that bring difficulty and problems to our lives is how one attains pleasure. The tranquility of the mind is what Epicurus would see as the greatest pleasure. He stated that one should never fear death, as death simply means the end of what one can feel and not something that would be painful. Epicurus also warned against being involved in politics, as that also could lead to the diminishment of happiness, something that Epicurus noticed in his own lifetime during the tumultuous politics of Athens after the death of Alexander the Great.<ref>For details of what pleasure means in the Epicurus' philosophy, see: Johnston, Derek. 2006. A Brief History of Philosophy: From Socrates to Derrida. London ; New York: Continuum.</ref>
==Key Influences on Our World==
The impacts of the philosophy are many and Epicurus held a variety of thoughts that have turned out to at least have at least some truth, despite his inability to fully observe them. For instance, his ideas that the universe is infinite are more realistic than philosophers who had a very narrow idea of where the universe and its extent can be found.<ref>For more on Epicurus' ideas of the universe, see: DeWitt, Norman Wentworth. 1954. St. Paul and Epicurus. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, pg. 13.</ref> He also believed no truth should be accepted as given without some form of proof, an idea that is now foundational to modern science. His belief that life and all matters must have basic building blocks are akin to our modern concept of atoms that was only proven in the 19th century. A key development that Epicurus indicated in his writings is the concept of divorcing the pursuit of knowledge from religious pursuits, something that became popular by the Renaissance, as thinkers from that era began to realize the importance of separating their work from religious zeal that may have hindered some advances in knowledge.<ref>For more on Epicurus' influence on later thinkers and scientists, see: Wyatt, Michael, ed. 2014. The Cambridge Companion to the Italian Renaissance. Cambridge Companions to Culture. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pg. 272.</ref> A key example is Galileo’s advocacy that the Earth was not the center of the universe, whereas the Catholic church at the time held the belief the Earth was the center of the universe.
While Epicurus’ ideas in science proved to be influential to later generations and modern science, his philosophy on happiness underwent different understanding in various periods. Although his teachings on happiness were often conflated with later understanding of hedonism, later thinkers began to see the practicality of his philosophy on pleasure as one that avoids pain and pursues simple pleasures as it avoids indulgence. Some impacts of this philosophy include what is now called ethical hedonism, where measured pleasure is taught and pursued as part of mental health treatment to addiction and other problems faced by patients.<ref>For more on ethical hedonism, see: Ford, Gary George. 2006. Ethical Reasoning for Mental Health Professionals. Thousand Oaks, Calif: SAGE Publications, pg. 54. </ref> In effect, the Epicurean philosophy is still alive and well in our society and not in a way that simply advocates unbridled pursuit of pleasure.
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