“A man cannot dispel his fear about the most important matters if he does not know the nature of the universe but gives some credence to myths.”Epicur · Maximele fundamentale · -280 · Maxima 12
Fear feeds on the unknown, and explanation empties it.
Epicurus argues that our anxiety comes from ignorance: when we do not know what the universe is made of, we imagine hostile forces that punish us. Natural knowledge dismantles these phantoms. The mechanism is simple: fear feeds on the unknown, and explanation starves it. Someone who believes storms are divine wrath lives terrified; someone who understands electricity and air pressure simply takes an umbrella.
Why it matters Useful today when fears about health, death, or catastrophe are amplified by rumors; accurate information remains the best tranquilizer.