Multiple choice

With reference to Epicurus, who founded 'Epicureanism', which of the following statements is/are incorrect?

  1. Epicureanism's verse form is in De Natura Deorum.
  2. Epicurus regarded pursuit of happiness as the chief aim of life.
  3. He identified popular religion as the chief obstacle to human happiness.
  4. He borrowed this theory from Plato.

  1. (1) only

  2. (2) only

  3. (3) only

  4. (4) only

  5. None of these

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

De Natura Deorum (On the Nature of the Gods) is a philosophical dialogue by Roman orator Cicero written in 45 BC. It is laid out in three books, each of which discusses the theology of different roman and greek philosophers. The dialogue uses a discussion of stoic, epicurean and skeptical theories to examine the fundamental questions of theology. Epicureanism regards the pursuit of happiness as the chief aim of life. Epicurus, however, identifies the popular religion as the chief obstacle to human happiness. For it haunts the human mind with fears of god, death, retribution and hell. Epicurus borrows his philosophy from Democritus. Democritus also formulated the ancient form of atomic theory. Epicurus applies this theory to the human soul. He regards the human soul as everything else in the universe, to be composed of atoms. The atoms in the soul are scattered at death with no possibility of future life.