THIS WEEK IN EPICUREAN PHILOSOPHY - 9/13/2014*** **This is the seventy-second in a series of weekly updates with news from the world of Epicurean Philosophy. Our home base for discussion is https://facebook/groups/EpicureanPhilosophy/ Copies of these posts, and links to active Epicurean websites, are stored at EpicurusCentral.wordpress. **As of tonight, our participant total has grown to 524. Last week this time we were 480. We continue to grow steadily, and we welcome all participants and lurkers! We are here to discuss Epicurean Philosophy, have fun, and in the words of Lucian, strike a blow for Epicurus - that great man whose holiness and divinity of nature were not shams, who alone had and imparted true insight into the good, and who brought deliverance to all that consorted with him! ** We started this past week with discussion of a series of links submitted by Tom M., including this one with an except on chicken soup for the soulhttps://facebook/groups/EpicureanPhilosophy/permalink/717250348323928/ https://facebook/groups/EpicureanPhilosophy/permalink/716876355027994/ and this one on a poem about a mother and daughter on last parting: https://facebook/groups/EpicureanPhilosophy/permalink/716876355027994/ and this one on how culture shapes our senses: https://facebook/groups/EpicureanPhilosophy/permalink/718187568230206/ And this one on how the American Philological Society is changing its name to broaden its outreach: https://facebook/groups/EpicureanPhilosophy/permalink/718402258208737/ And this one on abolitionism and transhumanism: https://facebook/groups/EpicureanPhilosophy/permalink/718436921538604/ In the same vein was a link to an article entitled Is Humanism Hedonistic? https://facebook/groups/EpicureanPhilosophy/permalink/718222478226715/ All of these prompted lots of discussions about which aspects of these could be considered Epicurean and which could not, and Elli P. prepared a graphic to focus the issue: https://facebook/photo.php?fbid=822750271090447&set=gm.717464754969154&type=1 New readers should realize that we regularly post links to current articles which are of relevance to issues in Epicurean philosophy. Sometimes those linked articles will make points we agree with, sometimes we will disagree, and often there will be parts that are good and parts that are bad. This kind of comparative discussion is very helpful in bringing to light differences that are sometimes subtle and sometimes not so subtle between Epicurus and other philosophers. New readers should always ask questions and invite discussion on any topics like this, as that helps us all better understand the philosophic issues. If the world already understood Epicurus we would have a group of 500,000 instead of 500, so all opportunities to explain the truth about Epicurean views are welcome. ** Tom also posted a link to the English page of the Epicurean Garden of Athens, which has lots of good material: https://facebook/groups/EpicureanPhilosophy/permalink/718405734875056/ ** Hiram posted a link with his initial comments on reading Frances Wrights A Few Days In Athens https://facebook/groups/EpicureanPhilosophy/permalink/718812221501074/ Anyone who comes across this who does not already know about the book can check it out here: AFewDaysInAthens **Also this week, partly in thought about some of the discussion of non-Epicurean philosophy earlier in the week, I posted this link to Thomas Jeffersons letter to John Adams, in which Jefferson described what amounts to his own mental reboot sequence: https://facebook/groups/EpicureanPhilosophy/permalink/718665788182384/ **Tom also posted a link to an article that hints at Epicurean ideas in terms of little platoons in organizing societies: https://facebook/groups/EpicureanPhilosophy/permalink/718773958171567/ **Ioannis A. posted a link to an English version of Kavafys excellent Ithaca poem: https://facebook/groups/EpicureanPhilosophy/permalink/719005734815056/ **Last for the week, Elli posted a story from one of our participants about the near-death experience of his father in fighting a serious medical condition. https://facebook/groups/EpicureanPhilosophy/permalink/719543538094609/ This one was particularly helpful to me this week due to a similar situation I am experiencing myself. Short of the proper attitude toward religion, the proper attitude toward death is second in importance in the list of the Authorized Doctrines. The only way to prepare for death, and to live our lives with the proper sense of urgency that life is short, is to remind ourselves of these truths regularly as part of of our normal thought processes. That reminds me of a song which I linked in one of the threads youtube/watch?v=IM8nvW0PXTk I dont advise worrying on this issue, but I do think Epicurus advised that we give the issue of how best to spend our time between birth and death our full attention! ** In beginning to close, please remember that we invite your questions and discussions on any matter relating to ancient or modern Epicureanism, no matter what your level of expertise in asking the question. Even if you are a younger person studying Epicurus for a philosophy class, we invite you to ask your questions here. There is no better way for us to learn more, and have fun doing it, than to discuss Epicurean philosophy issues with new people who are sincerely interested. Thanks to all who participated this week, and we look forward to another active week ahead. **OK thats it for the week! Feel free to post any comments in this thread. I apologize if I missed anyone or anything. As always, if you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please add a comment or participate in the Epicurean Philosophy Facebook Group https://facebook/groups/EpicureanPhilosophy/ or hop around the internet word of Epicureanism by checking the links here: EpicurusCentral.wordpress PEACE AND SAFETY! Cassius Amicus
Posted on: Sat, 13 Sep 2014 23:36:15 +0000
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