How did Lucretius think people could achieve more pleasure and less pain?

In his work De rerum natura (On the Nature of Things), Lucretius argued that humans naturally seek pleasure and avoid pain. He maintained that the goal of life should be to achieve the maximum possible pleasure and the minimum amount of pain.1

According to Lucretius, individuals can only succeed in this pursuit through philosophy, which allows them to overcome two primary sources of mental anguish: the fear of death and the fear of the gods. By understanding the atomic nature of the universe and the mortality of the soul, people can realize that death is nothing to be feared. Furthermore, he taught that while the gods exist, they are remote beings who do not manipulate human affairs or intervene in the world, thereby freeing humanity from religious terror.123

Ultimately, this approach emphasizes the use of reason and prudence to limit desires and avoid unnecessary suffering, rather than pursuing excessive or ephemeral physical indulgences.34