Final answer:
Epicurean thought considers the good life to be one of balanced pleasure-seeking and avoidance of pain, centered around self-sufficiency, friendship, and philosophical contemplation. Knowledge through sensory experience and ethical naturalism are key to attaining serenity and true happiness.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ideas of Epicurean thinkers such as Epicurus and Lucretius about the good life revolve around the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain. They believed in a life of moderation, where self-sufficiency and freedom from fear, especially the fear of death, lead to happiness. Rather than immaterial forms or souls, Epicureans embraced empiricism, positing that knowledge comes from sensory experience. Pleasure was seen not as indulgence but as the enjoyment of life's simple pleasures, such as good food, drink, music, and friendship, with a particular emphasis on philosophical conversations with friends.
Epicurean philosophy also emphasizes the importance of understanding human nature to achieve ethical naturalism, which guides individuals toward living well. Hedonism, in the Epicurean sense, is about refining one's desires to attain a profound and sustainable form of pleasure that is mostly mental and emotional in nature, resulting in ataraxia (tranquility). The Epicurean good life is thus a balanced one, where philosophical reflection and moderate enjoyment provide the framework for happiness.