French Literature Reviews - 2026
W.F. Otto, Epicurus
Philosophy, Anthropology and Ideas
Epicurus
Walter Friedrich Otto
Translated from German by Laurent Ferec.
Allia, Sept. 2021
112 p. — ISBN: 979-10-304-1288-8
“For millennia, science has been in pursuit of this ‘principle of reason’ (...). Its appetite for discovery has, in recent times, led it far beyond the atomism of Epicurus. Yet between the intellectual posture of ancient research and that of modern research, there is a profound difference—one that becomes all the more striking when we consider its impact on human life. In a word: contemporary research culminates in technology, as though that had been its goal from the very beginning. Ancient research leads to the purification and elevation of the human mind. No one has articulated this quest with greater clarity than Epicurus.”
Of all ancient philosophers, Epicurus is perhaps the one whose thought has been most severely distorted. To rectify this, Walter F. Otto reveals a fresh perspective on Epicurus in this essay, making his philosophy accessible to all.
While the foundation of Epicureanism is the pursuit of pleasure, the recipe for attaining it lies in simplicity. Furthermore, the true uniqueness of Epicurus lies in his relationship with the divine. He succeeds in reconciling his materialism with the absolute certainty of the existence of the gods. The Epicurean gods bear no malice toward mankind. It is solely through the awareness of their indifference toward him that man achieves true freedom.
At a time when, under the sway of technology and science, “man’s discord, inner division, pettiness of spirit, and misfortune have grown to horrifying proportions, until he ultimately forgets what it means to be human,” Walter F. Otto traces the subtle and singular path opened by Epicurus toward a supreme goal: “human freedom.”
Walter F. Otto's essay presents a perspective on Epicurus, noting that while the foundation of Epicureanism is the pursuit of pleasure, the recipe for attaining it lies in simplicity. The text highlights the philosopher's relationship with the divine, noting that he reconciles his materialism with the existence of the gods, and that through the awareness of their indifference toward mankind, man achieves true freedom. Readers interested in classical antiquity and the history of ancient philosophy may find this book relevant.