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Hellenistic Philosophy
These two ways of looking at reality and knowledge are far from being the only ones developed by the ancient philosophers. The Epicureans were concerned with the way life should be lived, stressing the avoidance of pain. They were atomists, who believed that the only real things are bits of matter in motion. All else could be explained in terms of matter in motion. The Stoics advocated the suppression of desire as the way to avoid pain. The Skeptics suggested that one can attain peace of mind by avoiding commitment to any proposition, instead living according to the customs of the land. They held that reason, far from being the source of knowledge, is in conflict with itself. A primary piece of evidence for this thesis is the proliferation of conflicting philosophical theories, as we have just detailed.
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