ABSTRACT
Epicurus founded Epicureanism, one of the three most prominent philosophical schools in the Hellenistic period, which begins with the death of Alexander the Great in 322 bce. Epicurus wrote prolifically but unfortunately very little of his work survives. Epicurus argues that death is the cessation of vital functions that results in nonexistence and that dying is the gradual loss of these vital functions. For Epicurus, faring well is living a pleasant life. In this respect, Epicurus is a hedonist. For Epicurus, death occurs when an organism loses its capacity to perform its vital functions, whatever these might be. Death, in the case of humans, results immediately in their nonexistence. Epicurus dies in what he considers the worst pain possible.
