... of the categories of pleasure Epicurus provides us with a very valuable account of pleasure and therefore happiness. Through comparison with that of the Stoic view of thought, we can better understand Epicureanism as although often in opposition, their contrasts illuminate their similarities. For the Epicureans, pleasure was defined as the "primary native good"; a sense of overall well-being and equanimity characterised by the absence of pain and suffering. Through this phrase, Epicurus is suggesting that Pleasure is nature's way of rewarding us for making good decisions. It is nature's own motivator for the happiness and survival of humanity. Just as we should not fight the urges to sleep or eat, we should not fight the urge for pleasure, as it is just as natural a tendency. In order to further understand the basic notion of pleasure and the 'good' in Epicurus' philosophy, one must look at the Epicurean concept of "ethical ...

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