God, Death
The Gods should not be feared,
Death should not frighten us,
Benevolence is easily obtained
And evil is easily endured!
If God is omnipotent, omniscient and benevolent then evil could not continue to exist. If He is omnipotent and omniscient, then He is aware of all evil and has the power to end it, yet he does not. Then He is not good. If omnipotent and benevolent, then he has the power to extinguish evil and want to do so, because He is good. But He does not, because he does not know how much evil there is, and where it is. Then He is not omniscient. If He is omniscient and good, then He knows about all the evil that exists and does want to change it. But that eliminates the possibility of Him being omnipotent, because if He were, He would eradicate all evil.
Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?
It is stupid to ask the gods for what one can achieve alone.
Death is nothing to us, for when we exist, death is not; and when death exists, we are not.
Our soul is composed of atoms, which is why it is mortal as is our bodies. We are given life only once. The masses console themselves with the hope of another better life.
Death is merely the separation of the atoms that we are composed of. Do not, therefore, announce either punishment or rewards to men. We should not fear death and much less the infernal punishments invented by ignorance and superstition of men.
The truth is that no sensible man avoids pleasure, and when circumstances finally force him to exit his life, he does not behave as if he is still owed something from the supreme existence.
Philosophy and Nature
Any philosophical argument that does not have its main concern therapeutically addressing human suffering is useless.
To whom the nature of the universe is unknown and is concerned with mythical fables cannot stay their caring fears to that which they address importance. This is why the enjoyment of pure pleasures is impossible without the science of nature.
The atoms are in constant motion throughout eternity. Some get separated by great distances from each other. Others oscillate in one place whenever they happen to get entangled into a compound, or surrounded by a compound. It is the nature of both bodies and void which allows this oscillatory motion. For the bodies, being solid, rebound on collision to whatever distance their entanglement allows them, while the void offers no resistance in the intervening space. This may continue until at last the repeated shocks bring on the dissolution of the compound. There is no beginning to all these motions; the atoms and void are eternal.
All troubled and anxious desire dissolves in the love for true philosophy.
Let no one be slow to seek knowledge and understanding when they are young, nor be quick to tire of the search for wisdom when they grow old. For no age is too early or too late to be concerned with the health of the mind.
Whoever says that the time for philosophy has not yet come or that it has already passed is saying that it is too soon or too late for happiness.
Just as medicine has no real benefit if you are not free from the troubles of the body, the same is true of philosophy is you are not free from the passions of the soul.
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