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Index
Cover page
Halftitle page
Series page
Title page
Copyright page
Dedication page
Contents
Acknowledgements
List of illustrations
1 Introduction
2 Atomic worlds
Atoms and void
Doubt and denial
The revival of ancient atomism
The atom in modern science
3 Knowledge and understanding
The conquest of fear
The explanation of nature
The 17th-century Scientific Revolution
The invisible world
4 Living, loving, dying
What is life?
The ultimate origins of life
How is self-assembly possible?
Generation and renewal
5 Material minds
The Epicurean soul
Perceiving, thinking, dreaming
Truth and error in perceptual experience
Epicureanism and empiricism
The material mind and its critics
Materialism today
6 Religion and superstition
Epicurus’ critique of popular religion
Lucretius intensifies the critique
Rethinking God
Is religion obsolete?
7 Politics and society
From status to contract
The evolution of civilization
Progress and its problems
8 Epicurean ethics
Pleasure and pain
Desire and disappointment
The finality of death
Epicurean ethics and human welfare
9 The Epicurean legacy
Publisher’s acknowledgements
References
Further reading
Index
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