The following are ten basic ethical tenets of Epicureanism – how should we live? What is the goal of living? How should we pursue that goal?

1.  Don’t be concerned about “gods” –  supernatural beings do not exist, and even if there are any “perfect” higher beings they are not concerned with mankind.  The only way to dismiss superstition and fear from life is to live intelligently, and therefore confidently, and this requires that we study the world around us (and science) and employ the faculties of observation given us by Nature (the Epicurean Canon of Truth).

2. Pleasurable living is the ultimate goal of life set by nature. We can do this by filling our lives with good things, avoiding pain, studying nature and striving for safety and independence.  This implies avoiding people who are disagreeable and who cause you fear, anxiety or displeasure.

3. Even if you are not able to rid yourself of  all pain and anxiety,  pleasurable living is possible. Strong pain generally lasts a short time, and even of it lasts a long time, it is generally mild.  This implies that in difficult times one should try to be patient, for most bad things pass.

4. It is possible for us to attain the maximum pleasure if we pursue it intelligently.  This implies thinking, not just about yourself, but about the interests and pleasure of others as well.

5. No pleasure is bad in itself, but some pleasures bring more pain than the pleasure justifies. And no single pleasure should be pursued to the point where it consumes our lives, because if it did so there would never be any room for any other pleasures.  This implies moderation in all things.

6.  “Virtue” is simply the name we give to the necessary tools by which pleasurable living can be attained. It is not possible to live pleasurably without these tools, nor is it possible to employ these tools properly without living pleasurably.

7.  Men can live wisely and pursue pleasure intelligently because they are free agents and their actions are not wholly determined by outside force.

8.  If we live wisely we will see that our most important tool of happiness and security is friendship with people of like mind, attitude and loyalty.

9.  The only true foundation of Justice is mutually advantageous agreement among intelligent beings to neither do or receive harm from each other.  This implies putting the emphasis on compromise where necessary, peace of mind, and the avoidance of unnecessary antagonism and the stress it brings.

10.   While there is no such thing as absolute or universal justice or injustice, the justice we can enjoy is founded on mutually advantageous agreements.  This implies that relationships that change over time and become less mutually advantageous can be considered no longer just.