A relação entre vida sábia e vida prazerosa em Epicuro

Abstract

Epicurus beginning in the Letter to Meneceo establishes a relationship between philosophy and happiness. Later the text he claims that pleasure conditions the happiness. And at the end of his letter he claims that only the wise can be happy. For Epicurus philosophy is a concept of life wise, and that pleased when achieved conditions the happiness from the pleasurable life. Therefore, both pleasurable and life wise life provide happiness. But, what will be the relationship between wise life and pleasurable life so that the two can conditions happiness? This is the objective that we propose: to investigate the relationship between wise life and pleasurable life seeking to respond if they are complementary concepts or antagonistic. But to do that if we're going back to the concepts of happiness and philosophy. Happiness is the pleasant life and philosophy is an instrument of the Sage's way of being. A pleasurable life consists of the real pleasures which causes happiness; wise life would already possess the practical wisdom to choose or evaluate what causes pleasure and what causes pain, i.e. the good judgment. So Epicurus wants, with the relationship between wise life and pleasurable life, achieve happiness. This philosopher for achieving that end, happiness, as three primordial factors intermediate formula. The first is the philosophy as an instrument of practical wisdom to provide this knowledge that may help for obtaining a happy life. The second is the tetraphármakon, the four drugs that aim to avoid the pains for a pleasurable life. And, finally, the three virtues, phronesis, beauty and justice, which affect happiness, because without them, nobody can be happy.