Saturday, 24 October 2026 Updated 58 min ago
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Gradual decay or sudden destruction? Ancient philosophers on the end of the world

The feeling that the world is ending is nothing new – Plato, Epicurus and the Stoics all visualized the apocalypse Do your feelings of existential dread…

Image accompanying the story: Gradual decay or sudden destruction? Ancient philosophers on the end of the world
Image: Illustration: Photograph: Getty Images / Frame: Ibrahim Rayintakath · via The Guardian

According to The Guardian, the feeling that the world is ending is nothing new – Plato, Epicurus and the Stoics all visualized the apocalypse Do your feelings of existential dread extend beyond your own personal mortality?

Do they include fears about the survival of our culture and institutions, our species, nonhuman life and the Earth itself? Apocalyptic expectations are on the rise.

This science story centres on the United States. Names and organisations mentioned in the coverage include Plato, Epicurus and Stoics.

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Key details

Location
United States · Americas
Reported by
The Guardian
First reported
Key names
Plato, Epicurus, Stoics, Earth
Section
Science
Figure cited
According to a 2022 Pew Research Center survey, 39% of Americans believe that we are… (The Guardian)

Sources

This is an independent summary. Read the full, original reporting from the publisher:

Read the full story at The Guardian

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