Spiritual exercises in Epicurus: A way of facing pain and suffering
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Abstract
Although limited, Epicurus' philosophy offers a precise and relevant perspective for the present day. More than a theory, it proposes a therapeutic practice of virtue, where philosophy is experienced as a way of life. This research seeks, through a hermeneutic and reflective approach, to describe how Epicurus understands pain and suffering, as well as identify the spiritual exercises as a therapeutic means to confront them. The results reveal that in Epicurus' work, although pain and suffering do not have a univocal meaning, they are often understood as an imbalance or the counterpart of pleasure. Among the spiritual exercises in Epicurus are the recognition that we are beings with the possibility of exercising freedom, which makes it necessary to assume a position of self-care, even in adversity; furthermore, the impossibility of accessing unique and irrefutable truths is emphasized, thus recommending the avoidance of adopting rigid and inflexible stances. Finally, the importance of valuing the present and regulating oneself through reason as a universal criterion to distance oneself from suffering is highlighted.
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