ABSTRACT
According to the atomistic theory, since matter is the fundamental principle of existent reality, then the concept of sensation is crucial. Nevertheless, we observe an important evolution of these two notions, from Democritus to Cyrenaics and later Epicureans. When Epicurus seeks to determine what can actually be regarded as “pleasure,” the Cyrenaics thought that pleasure was good anyway, even when it was the result of shameful actions. And when the Cyrenaics believe bodily pains to be worse than mental ones, by contrast Epicurus holds mental pains to be worse. As for the ancient atomists, unlike Epicurus, they did not distinguish between the two kinds of pleasure (katastematic and kinetic). Rather, Democritus observed that the ultimate goal which man must set for himself is contentment [euthymia]: only by finding satisfaction in what we have, and by appreciating what befalls us, we can attain safety and absence of apprehension.
