Epicureanism, in a strict sense, the philosophy taught by Epicurus (341–270 BCE). In popular parlance, Epicureanism means devotion to pleasure, comfort, and high living. Dew proceeds from a reunion of particles contained in the air calculated to produce this moist substance. One may also give other reasons for the phenomenon, which are not contradicted by any sensible appearances; accordingly, one might explain them by the passage of the stars above and below the earth, for the impressions of the senses agree also with this supposition. Epicurus, “Principle Doctrines” 2 of 3 the emotions akin to them, which used to cause the greatest fear to the mind. It may arise from the fact of the winds meeting in places which are too dense, in consequence of the accumulation of clouds, and then a portion of the current detaches itself and proceeds towards the lower situations; or else it may be caused by the fire which is contained in the bosom of the clouds precipitating itself downwards. [126] G   [The wise man neither rejects life] nor is he afraid of not-living, since living is not connected with it: nor does he think not-living an evil; but, just as he chooses food, not preferring that which is most abundant, but that which is nicest; so too, he enjoys time, not measuring it as to whether it is of the greatest length, but as to whether it is most agreeable. And we must consider that some of the passions are natural, and some empty; and of the natural ones some are necessary, and some merely natural. (He says the same thing in the twelfth book of his treatise on Nature; and adds that the eclipses of the sun arise from the fact that it penetrates into the shade of the moon, to quit it again presently; and the eclipse of the moon from the fact of its entering into the shade of the earth. Epicurus And The Pleasant Life: A Philosophy of Nature Haris Dimitriadis. The same opinion encourages man to trust that no evil will be everlasting, or even of long duration; as it sees that, in the space of life allotted to us, the protection of friendship is most sure and trustworthy. The wise man will not be subject to grief, as Diogenes says, in the fifth book of his Select Opinions; [120a] he will also not object to go to law. The inter-tropical movements of the sun and moon may depend, either on the obliquity impressed by fate on the heaven at certain determined epochs, or on the resistance of the air, or on the fact that these ignited bodies stand in need of being nourished by a matter suitable to their nature, and that this matter fails them; or finally, they may depend on the fact their having originally received an impulse which compels them to move as they do, describing a sort of spiral figure. Principal Doctrines of Epicurus Except where noted, this translation is by Cyril Bailey, as contained in his text “ Epicurus - The Extant Remains .” Please post questions or comments in the appropriate forum here: The Principal Doctrines 5; Principal Doctrines, 8)2. Arcesilaus was the Head of the Platonic Academy in Epicurus… It is possible for one wise man to be wiser than another. [106] G   One might, however, give an account of them in several other ways. If we were not troubled by our suspicions of the phenomena of the sky and about death, fearing that it concerns us, and also by our failure to grasp the limits of pains and desires, we should have no need of natural science. Perhaps also, this may be caused by the fact, that except in the route in which they move, and in which we perceive them, they do not find any material suitable to their nature. Philosophies of Happiness . He will leave books and memorials of himself behind him, but he will not be fond of frequenting assemblies. [92] G   The rising and setting of the sun, of the moon, and of the stars, may depend on the fact of their becoming lighted up, and extinguished alternately, and in the order which we behold. For there are a great number which are all equally able to produce this effect. 3 23) If you argue against all your sensations, you will then have no criterion to declare any of them false. [121b] The wise man may raise statues if it suits his inclination, if it does not then it does not matter. [107] G   As to the spherical form of the hail, one may easily account for that by admitting that the shocks which it receives in every direction make all the angles disappear, or else that at the moment when the different fragments are formed, each of them is equally embraced on all sides by aqueous or ethereal particles. For it was easily in his power to do so, if it really was his belief.   |   01.02.17 His view of justice is interesting, although I disagree with some of what he says. [121a] Happiness must be understood in two senses; the highest happiness, such as is that of a god, which admits of no increase; and another kind, which admits of the addition or abstraction of pleasures. The pleasure in the flesh is not increased, when once the pain due to want is removed, but is only varied: and the limit as regards pleasure in the mind is begotten by the reasoned understanding of these very pleasures and of the emotions akin to them, which used to cause the greatest fear to the mind. And, we think contentment a great good, not in order that we may never have but a little, but in order that, if we have not much, we may make use of a little, being genuinely persuaded that those men enjoy luxury most completely who are the best able to do without it; and that everything which is natural is easily provided, and what is useless is not easily procured. epicurusphilosophy.com, The principal doctrines in contemporary terms. 2019 If possible, he would have done without it. (This same doctrine is reproduced, and occurs again in the eleventh book of his treatise on Nature; where he says, "if the distance has made it lose is size, a fortiori, it would take away its brilliancy; for colour has not, any more than size, the property of traversing distance without alteration."). . Still, under certain circumstances of life, he will forsake these rules and marry. In a word, experience drawn from our sense, teaches us that all these phenomena, and that one in particular, may be produced in many different manners. This course is a close examination of the ethical system of the world's most famous hedonist, Epicurus, who claimed that pleasure is the highest good in life. Of all the things which wisdom acquires to produce the blessedness of the complete life, far the greatest is the possession of friendship. [130] G   But it is right to estimate all these things by the measurement and view of what is suitable and unsuitable; for at times we may feel the good as an evil, and at times, on the contrary, we may feel the evil as good. The eclipses of the sun and moon may depend either on the fact that these celestial bodies extinguish themselves, a phenomenon which we often see produced under our eyes, or on the fact of other bodies, the earth, the heaven, or something else of the same kind interposing, between them and us. [132] G   For it is not continued drinking and revelling, or intercourse with boys and women, or feasts of fish and other such things, as a costly table supplies, that make life pleasant, but sober contemplation, which examines into the reasons for all choice and avoidance, and which puts to flight the vain opinions from which the greater part of the confusion arises which troubles the soul. The justice which arises from nature is a pledge of mutual advantage to restrain men from harming one another and save them from being harmed. 54 Bailey=LS 25C But reason, enabling us to conceive the end and dissolution of the body, and liberating us from the fears relative to eternity, procures for us all the happiness of which life is capable, so completely that we have no further occasion to include eternity in our desires. 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