341-271 B.C.

Greek philosopher who introduced an ethical philosophy based on simple pleasure, friendship, and the avoidance of political activity and public life. He was the founder of schools of philosophy that competed with the Academy of Plato and the Lyceum of Aristotle. Unlike the more famous schools of his rivals, the Epicurean schools admitted women. Epicurus taught that the atomic theory of Democritus could serve as the basis of a philosophical system of ethics, as well as physics. The writings of Epicurus dealt with physics, meteorology, ethics, and theology.