"There are only Epicureans, either crude or refined; Christ was the most refined"
- Georg Buchner
About this Quote
This quote by Georg Buchner is describing the philosophy of Epicureanism, which is based on the teachings of the ancient Greek theorist Epicurus. Epicureanism is a viewpoint that stresses the pursuit of pleasure and avoidance of discomfort. It is based upon the idea that pleasure is the highest good and that the greatest pleasure comes from the pursuit of knowledge and understanding. According to Epicurus, the objective of life is to achieve a state of ataraxia, or serenity, by preventing unnecessary pain and suffering.
Buchner's quote recommends that there are two kinds of Epicureans: those who are unrefined and those who are fine-tuned. He implies that the refined Epicureans are those who have a much deeper understanding of the approach and are able to use it to their lives in a more meaningful way. He then goes on to say that Christ was the most refined Epicurean, suggesting that he was the most well-informed and proficient specialist of the approach. This implies that Christ was able to utilize Epicureanism to attain a state of ataraxia and that he was an example of how to live a life of satisfaction and understanding.
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