Original version

BBC World Service East Asia

The Forum

Documentaries

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

Discover world history, culture and ideas with today’s leading experts

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service News Internet

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

The Forum: In search of the good life: Epicurus and his philosophy

bust of Epicurus

02/04/2020 GMT

In search of the good life: Epicurus and his philosophy

BBC World Service - The Forum, In search of the good life: Epicurus and his philosophy

Exploring how an Ancient Greek school of thought has resonated through the ages

Bridget Kendall and guests discuss how the writings of Epicurus and his followers influenced the development of modern science and theories of evolution

The popular view of an Epicurean is that of somebody who focuses on pleasure as our guiding principle, indulging in the finer things of life to achieve happiness.  And yet what the Ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus understood by pleasure was far more nuanced.  In fact, Epicurus and his followers advocated a simple lifestyle, withdrawn from society, where we are content with little.
What is perhaps less known is how Epicurean writings on physics foreshadowed some of the most significant developments in early modern science – including Darwin’s theory of evolution and even Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle.
Joining Bridget Kendall is Catherine Wilson, visiting Professor at the Graduate Centre of the City University of New York, and the author of various works on Epicureanism, including How to Be an Epicurean: The Ancient Art of Living Well; Dr Sonya Wurster, Honorary Fellow at La Trobe University in Australia who’s working on a book about the Epicurean philosopher Philodemus; and philosopher and historian David Sedley, Emeritus Laurence Professor of Ancient Philosophy at the University of Cambridge, and the author of numerous publications on Greek and Roman thought.

(Image: Bust of Epicurus. Photo: DEA / G. DAGLI ORTI/De Agostini via Getty Images)

Accessibility links

Programme Index

The Forum

In search of the good life: Epicurus and his philosophy

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service East Asia

About BBC World Service