Questions tagged [epicurus]
Questions related to the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus (341–270 BC), who founded a school of philosophy known as Epicureanism.
37
questions
23
votes
11
answers
29k
views
What are some criticisms of Epicurus' "death is nothing to us"?
Epicurus famously asserted that death should not be feared, with roughly the following argument:
When we die, we no longer exist;
Since we no longer exist, we can feel neither pain nor pleasure. ...
- 7,171
14
votes
1
answer
2k
views
What are the main points of criticism of the ancient Stoic school vis-a-vis the system of philosophy of the Epicureans?
What was the main criticism of the ancient Stoic school of philosophy with respect to the system of philosophy of the Epicureans?
- 1,344
13
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Why did Epicureanism become "the main opponent" of Stoicism?
I was reading about Epicureanism on Wikipedia, and there I saw that, apparently, Epicureanism was in conflict with Stoicism and Platonism. I then read up on those two philosophies, and well, they do ...
- 241
11
votes
2
answers
438
views
Are Hellenistic schools of philosophy also therapeutic regimes?
Martha C. Nussbaum argues in The Therapy of Desire: Theory and Practice in Hellenistic Ethics that all three major Hellenistic schools (Epicureanism, Stoicism, Skeptics) shared a practical, ...
- 1,654
8
votes
1
answer
524
views
Are there more modern schools that follow Epicurean philosophy?
As Wikipedia says in its article, Epicureanism in short means:
pleasure is the highest good, thus gain it through living virtuous life and expecting less.
Based on this definition, is there a ...
- 1,699
7
votes
1
answer
3k
views
what are the differences of existentialism to epicurianism?
Although not an expert, I do see many similarities on both these currents' focus on man himself, aboloshing all idols and taking control of his fate. Are there any real differences between these two ...
- 269
7
votes
4
answers
1k
views
Where can I find material on Epicureanism?
I'm looking for books by Epicurus, but I haven't been able to find any. Can anyone suggest one, or another reference book that deals with Epicureanism?
I don't have any context by which to judge ...
6
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Reasons to fear death
Epicurus said that fearing nonexistence is not only stupid, it even gets in the way of enjoying life. I agree with Epicurus and I am trying to stop fearing death by thinking about it logically. I now ...
- 161
6
votes
2
answers
5k
views
Is Epicureanism a form of Hedonism?
Epicureanism can be argued to be a form of Hedonism, holding the belief that pleasure is the only source of what is intrinsically good. The distinction between the two, as Hedonism seeks to maximise ...
user19651
5
votes
1
answer
948
views
What are some examples of individualism in ancient Greek philosophy?
When people speak about disrupting action, an action that often goes against the commonly accepted moral laws, the pople that comes to my mind are Nietzsche, D'Annunzio, Marinetti and the Italian ...
4
votes
1
answer
25k
views
"I was not; I was; I am not; I do not care"
From Wikipedia's page on Epicurus:
He also believed (contra Aristotle) that death was not to be feared. When a man dies, he does not feel the pain of death because he no longer is and he therefore ...
- 686
4
votes
7
answers
771
views
Is it rationally possible to believe in a sensationless soul after death?
Epicurus's thoughts on death were:
-Death is the cessation of sensation
-Good and evil only make sense in terms of sensation
Therefore: Death is neither good nor evil
My (sort of related) question ...
3
votes
1
answer
332
views
Epicureanism and speed of light
I have heard that Epicurus stated that light has the speed of thought. What did he mean by this?
My hypothesis is he intended to say, in a way, that the speed of light is infinite. But then, why was ...
- 133
3
votes
1
answer
74
views
Epicureans in Judea [closed]
Are there records of there being Epicureans in Judea of the 1st-3rd centuries CE or in surrounding territories? And if so, were there any notable ones among them?
- 205
3
votes
2
answers
656
views
Confusing name-dropping --- Is Socrates known to have walked in a garden with his "pupils"?
Source: In an episode on education of the philosophical documentary The advantage of the doubt, which I displayed here (search for "documentary") for pedagogical consultation; Veerle Jochems (an ...
- 206
3
votes
1
answer
584
views
How does Democritus account for eidola in terms of his atomic theory, if in fact he does?
'Eidola' is the peeling away of images from an object that then enters the eye, in Democritus' theory of optics. However, given his atomic theory, it seems puzzling that he doesn't attempt to explain ...
- 45k
3
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Death and Epictetus
In the Enchiridion, Epictetus seems suggest that goodness and badness are not “in” the world. They are “in” our reactions.
For example he says that, “Death, for instance, is not terrible, else it ...
- 31
3
votes
3
answers
310
views
Why does imagining absence at a funeral cause you to imagine being there?
Source: p 22, Chapter 4 entitled 'The Garden Path [line break] EPICURUS'A Little History of Philosophy (2011 ed; but Reprint ed, 2012 extant) by Nigel Warburton PhD in Philosophy (Cambridge)
...
3
votes
2
answers
236
views
What use is the Principle of Plentitude?
I am having trouble wrapping my head around the principle of plentitude. It was explained to me thus: "Everything which could exist does exist".
What is the use of this untestable notion?
- 45
3
votes
1
answer
113
views
Sources for Epicurus and the history of medicine
I am researching the history of medical philosophy (nursing in particular). A professor recommended the writings of Epicurus. I cannot find any sources directly related to this relationship. The ...
- 173
3
votes
2
answers
428
views
Theories of rationality/emotions which make Epicurus' death argument work?
I've read restatements of Epicurus' famous argument which attempt to prove that the fear of death is irrational (I don't know if Epicurus himself ever used a word like this. From what I've read, he ...
- 3,911
2
votes
1
answer
206
views
Did anyone in Zeno time, use the idea of discrete space/time to propose a solution to his paradoxes?
Zeno famously stated a number of paradoxes of space, time & motion to argue for parmenides unity & changelessness of being.
Infinite divisiblity of space & time seemed to be a commonly ...
- 45k
2
votes
1
answer
837
views
What does Epicurus mean by "prudence"?
(Related)
Epicurus writes in Letter to Menoeceus:
For this reason prudence is a more precious thing even than the other virtues, for ad a life of pleasure which is not also a life of prudence, honor, ...
- 205
2
votes
1
answer
132
views
Epicurus's claim that the mind is in the heart
I'm looking for a reference to back the claim made on SEP:
The mind, which is located at the heart, is a center that controls the other soul-parts as well as the body, and that receives and ...
- 203
2
votes
1
answer
2k
views
What are Epicurean Virtues?
Epicurus, Letter to Menoeceus, Live Wisely:
The greatest virtue and the basis for all virtues is prudence. Prudence, the art of practical wisdom, is something even more valuable than philosophy, ...
- 123
2
votes
0
answers
82
views
What are the reasons as to why many important ancient philosophers ascribed to stoicism whereas few ancient philosophers were epicurians?
It seems to me that there were relatively few prominent ancient (if not prominent at least with wikipedia entries with their names) philosophers that espoused Epicureanism while there were many ...
- 562
2
votes
0
answers
135
views
What is the difference between Epicurean sense-perception and Qualia?
In the SEP, on its discussion of ancient theories of the soul, they say:
Epicurus is an atomist, and in accordance with his atomism he takes the soul, like everything else that there is except for ...
- 45k
1
vote
2
answers
1k
views
Is Epicureanism more like egoism or utilitarianism
Epicureans put a focus on pleasure, but it is unclear from any material I've seen whether this the goal is one's own pleasure, the pleasure of everyone equally, or some more complicated interaction.
...
- 223
1
vote
1
answer
75
views
The joy of resolving a philosophical doubt
In his entry on Epicureanism in the Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, David Sedley wrote:
"There are mental as well as bodily kinetic pleasures, for example, (perhaps) the 'joy' of resolving ...
- 205
1
vote
2
answers
3k
views
Epicurus categorization of natural desires
Usually, it is often believed that desires for food and sex are based on natural (biological) needs. Epicurus too call them "natural" but claims that the fulfillment of the desire for food is "...
- 77
1
vote
1
answer
209
views
How does the doctrine of substantial forms differ from atomism?
Liebniz was an early admirer of Epicurean atomism; but later devoted himself to the doctrine of substantial forms as outlined in his Monadology.
On the face of it, atoms are substantial forms - they ...
- 45k
1
vote
1
answer
416
views
Was Newtons corpuscular theory of light influenced by that of Democritus?
Democritus theory of perception hypothesised that eidola were atom-thin images of an object carried into the eye. Of course Newton was a prominent defender of a corpuscular theory of light, as first ...
- 45k
1
vote
1
answer
288
views
Modern Epicureanism
I heard people talking about Epicureanism on the radio this morning and it struck me that I am an Epicurean. Apparently it was a popular philosophy in the Ptolemaic era, as Greece and Rome coexisted ...
- 338
1
vote
1
answer
104
views
Does Buddhist anatta present additional problems with the "no harm" thesis about death?
Does Buddhist anatta present additional problems with the "no harm" thesis about death?
I think Buddhists would agree that death can be good (an escape from some hellish existence) or bad (...
- 44
1
vote
1
answer
527
views
The no harm thesis about death and comparativism
I was reading about the harm thesis and comparativism, when:
To decide whether a person's death is bad for that person, we must
compare her actual welfare level to the welfare level she would ...
user6917
0
votes
1
answer
353
views
Epicurus: the greatest thinker of all time? [closed]
I have read somewhere that Epicurus introduced (English author, I can provide the full details), among others:
A moral code of values of integrity, serenity and peaceful acceptance to life
Acceptance ...
- 269
0
votes
0
answers
38
views
Are Epicurean 'pleasures of mind' clearly stated as being of a unique or universal nature?
I read that Epicurean 'pleasures of body' are unique to each individual. i.e. each person experiences the "pleasures of the body" in a different way.
I wondered whether Epicurean 'pleasures ...
