Epicurus

Epicurus was born in February 341 BCE. He earned his basic

education in philosophy after four years of tutoring, and at the age
of 18, Epicurus served in the military for two years in Athens.
After completing his education, Epicurus began teaching
around the Aegean, eventually settling back in Athens. There, he
purchased some land and founded a school which was given the
name of ‘The Garden’, for its construction in the garden of his
house. The Garden soon became a notable institute for the
progress of philosophical education, and it also held the exclusivity
of being the first philosophical Greek institute that allowed women
to take part in learning. Epicurus strongly advocated friendship as
an important root for a happy and fulfilling life, and thus, his school
provided the community with the opportunity to interact and form
constructive relationships.
Epicurus has played an extremely vital role in the progress of
science as a discipline. Epicurus was the first Greek philosopher to
attempt to break free society from religious superstitions by
preaching that God does not punish or reward humans, and that a
man’s sole objective should be to form a self-sufficient and happy
life by surrounding oneself with reliable and cherished friends.
Epicurus was a strong advocate of free will.
The development of a pleasant and comfortable life, in his view, was the core purpose of life, and good
and bad consequences could only be evaluated on the principles of pain and pleasure. Epicurus believed that
whatever serves to provide pleasure can be termed as good, and whatever leads to discomfort can be termed
as bad. He advocated against any sort of overabundance as he believed, all excesses eventually lead to pain.
Epicurus died in 270 BCE at the age of 72 after a prolonged suffrage with kidney stones.
What I like about him? Epicureanism is not about endless pleasure. Instead, Epicurus suggests that we study
our desires and learn to differentiate between those that are natural and those that are artificial and
unnecessary. We can achieve long-term happiness by restricting our desires to those that are natural and
necessary. A trick lies at the heart of Epicureanism. Instead of expecting something and then having the
universe destroy it, Epicurus suggests that you lower your expectations so that the majority of what can
happen is better than what you expect.

Hypatia
Hypatia, the first prominent mathematical philosopher was born in 370 A.D. in Alexandria, Egypt. She was born
to Theon, an important professor at the University of Alexandria. He raised Hypatia in the disciplines of arts,
science, literature and philosophy. Meanwhile, young Hypatia was also trained in physical activities such as
swimming, riding and rowing.
While attending school in Athens, Greece, her
mathematical ability began to spread as she neared the
completion of her education. After, Hypatia became a
Professor of Philosophy and Mathematics at the University
of Alexandria. Hypatia’s speeches were iconic and
extremely inspiring, people travelled from far and wide to
come and listen to her speak.
Hypatia is credited for several contributions to the
discipline of philosophy, however the exact number of her
works is unknown as they have since been destroyed.
In 412, Hypatia’s teachings and dedication to
polytheism began attracting criticism and hatred from the
dominant Christians. On her way back from the university,
Hypatia was chased by an angry mob. They caught up with
her, and she was brutally murdered. Her legacy remains as the first woman to earn fame in the fields of
mathematics and philosophy.
What I like about her? She paved the way for female mathematians. Women had a public voice for the
first time thanks to Hypatia, who demonstrated that they could have intelligent thoughts just like men. Her
math and astronomy notes aided modern mathematicians and astronomers in developing advanced
theories that are still used today.

2. Why is a man a moral animal?

We are considered as a moral animal because we have; (i) the ability to anticipate the consequences of one's
own actions; (ii) the ability to make value judgments; and (iii) the ability to choose between alternative
courses of action. We are creatures who can behave on the basis of moral motivations. Human beings, unlike
other animals, are able to reflect on and make judgments about our own and others' actions, and as a result,
we are able to make considered moral choices. We are not born with this ability.

3. Why do we need laws?

Laws are rules that apply to everyone in a community. Laws protect our general safety and our rights as
citizens from abuses committed by other people, organizations, and the government itself. We have laws in
place to help ensure our general safety. These are available at the local, state, and national levels. Life without
laws and regulations would be a world of chaos and unfairness among societies, human rights would be
jeopardized, and our freedom would be dependent on the authorities of governments.