For Epicurus, paying attention to the knowledge we gain from our experiences is critical for achieving a pain-free life. We need to be in tune with ourselves, noticing how our actions impact our bodies and psychological states. We also need to actively perform second-order thinking, considering the effects of the effects of our actions. Epicurean philosophy thus invites us to reconceptualize what we consider pleasure in order to attain that pain-free median at the top of the curve. Wilson explains that “regardless of the trouble other people can cause for us, Epicurus believed close human
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