The doctoral dissertation of Karl Marx and the concept of the freedom in epicurus

The present dissertation is an attempt to examine the path to the concept of freedom in Epicurus' philosophy. This attempt will be based on Karl Marx's doctoral dissertation, The Difference Between the Democritean and Epicurean Philosophy of Nature. Throughout the thesis, the critiques of Epicurus by various philosophers and Marx's ideas against these critiques will be evaluated to learn Epicurus' view of nature in the finest detail and to see how he prepared the foundation for freedom. Subsequently, Epicurus' own writings will be studied in an attempt to uncover his entire philosophy. Epicurus, who abolished the necessity of the prevailing laws of nature with the concept of deviation, adapted the same method to the field of morality. Through repulsion, atoms encounter each other after deviation. The falling of the atom in a straight line gives it its materiality, and its deviation gives the atom its form. Then, materiality and form are synthesized with repulsion. This case of repulsion is the initial state of self-consciousness. Finally, he also focuses on the issues of fate, death, and fear of God and provides us with an explanation of how people can find peace in their souls. Keywords: freedom; deviation; necessity; chance; fate; repulsion; self-consciousness