“The greatest fruit of self-sufficiency is freedom.” – Vatican Sayings, 77
Epicurus’ philosophy is not only a philosophy of happiness, but it is also a philosophy of liberty. Epicurus emancipates the mind from the primeval horrors that seek to enslave it. Just as Helios casts out the shadows of the world, Epicurus illuminates the darkness of ignorance, and provides the foundation for living a life of freedom from fear and uncertainty.
That being said, I have recently returned from my travels to Monticello, where I reflected on what it means to be an Epicurean and on the many ways Thomas Jefferson fell short of what I had hoped and anticipated the more I learned about his life. After collecting my thoughts and synthesizing information across multiple sources, here is my attempt to evaluate the history of slavery within Epicureanism and to make sense of the contradictory life of Thomas Jefferson.
(The following was written by contributor Harmonious and reflects the opinions of the author.)