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What is the Tetrapharmacon in Epicurean philosophy?
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Epicureanism
Epicurus, bronze bust from a Greek original, c. 280–270 bce; in the Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Naples.
In Epicureanism, the Tetrapharmacon (or "four-part cure") serves as a concise summary of the philosophy's core wisdom, intended to guide individuals toward a life of tranquility and happiness. Preserved by the philosopher Philodemus, this four-fold remedy is stated as follows:
- The gods are not to be feared.
- Death is not a thing that one must fear.
- Good is easy to obtain.
- Evil is easy to tolerate.1
By internalizing these four principles, the Epicurean seeks to alleviate the primary sources of human anxiety—specifically the fear of divine intervention and the fear of nonexistence—thereby facilitating the state of ataraxia, or mental tranquility, which is the ultimate goal of the philosophy.12