Epicurus

Epicurus was an ancient Greek philosopher born in 341 BCE on Samos.

He founded Epicureanism, a school of thought emphasizing the pursuit of happiness through pleasure, defined as the absence of pain and fear.

Epicurus taught that death should not be feared, gods do not intervene in human affairs, and the universe is composed of atoms.

He established a school in Athens called The Garden, where he taught until his death in 270 BCE at age 72.

Although influenced by earlier thinkers, particularly Democritus, Epicurus developed his own distinct philosophy.

His teachings survive mainly through fragments and later commentators, as most of his 300 written works have been lost.