The Epicurean Gospel: Pleasure Without Purpose

Ecclesiastes 1:22 presents a seductive philosophy: "There is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his own works." This worldly counsel recommends seizing pleasure wherever found—beauty, wine, song—extracting maximum enjoyment before death arrives. The Preacher calls this the Epicurean gospel, named after the Greek philosopher Epicurus, though the impulse predates him as old as human nature itself. Epicurus systematized sensuality into philosophy, reducing life to the gratification of appetite.…