Category: Introductory Material
-
The Epicurean “Method of Analogy” in Philodemus, And Its Vital Importance to Us
What do we do when we are confronted by differences of opinion among people who believe very strongly in their ideals, even though those ideals vary tremendously from person to...
-
Fundamentals of Epicurean Philosophy – An Outline
Fundamentals of Epicurean Philosophy – Click here for larger text, here for smaller text, and here for frame-free version. Please click here for dispute as to translation of PD6. This outline represents my latest...
-
Must I Believe “XXX” That Epicurus Said?
In the Epicurean Philosophy Facebook Group we often run into questions such as “Must I believe XXX that Epicurus said?” Here’s an example: “Must every position held by Epicurus originally...
-
Things That Never Change, And Things That Do
We frequently encounter situations where in the past we had a high opinion of someone, but recent events cause us to lower that opinion considerably. Does this mean that we...
-
The Major Importance of “Confident Expectation”
In reading through Plutarch’s attack on Colotes and his Epicurean views (“That It Is Not Possible To Live Pleasurably According To The Doctrines of Epicurus“), I was struck with the...
-
Toward A Better Understanding Of Epicurus: Eight Areas Of Focus For 2015
My goal in writing about Epicurus is to point the way to happier living today through Epicurean philosophy. Only historians and academics are interested in detail for the sake of...
-
A Refresher On Epicurean Basics
We tend to spend a lot of time on particular issues of interest to people who already have a fundamental orientation to Epicurus. If you know the basics, then you’re...
-
Maximize Pleasurable Living and Avoid Both Pain And Anesthesia (And the Philosophies Which Promote Them!)
Recently a poster on the Epicurean Facebook age asked an excellent question about the concept of being stoical. He posted this definition: “sto·i·cal – adjective – “enduring pain and hardship without showing...
-
The Epicurean Views the Modern Mind Finds Unthinkable: “Dogmatism” and “Free Will”
[Update: See this page for summary of this topic.] It is my experience that there are two Epicurean views which more than any other cause the modern mind to recoil...
-
“How Do I Most Quickly Learn The Basics Of Epicurean Philosophy?”
If you are new to the study of Epicurus, you may well ask: “How do I most quickly learn the basics of Epicurean Philosophy?” Here’s my quick answer, which might be...