For Epicurus, the most pleasant life is one where we abstain from unnecessary desires and achieve an inner tranquility (ataraxia) by being content with simple things, and by choosing the pleasure of philosophical conversation with friends over the pursuit of physical pleasures like food, drink, and sex.

Is ataraxia a disease?

Ataxia is the term for a group of neurological diseases (diseases related to the nervous system) that affect movement and coordination. People with ataxia often have trouble with balance, coordination, swallowing, and speech.

What is ataraxia and Aponia?

In Epicurean doctrine, “aponia” is the absence of physical pain, and, of course, “ataraxia” is the absence of mental disturbance.