Posts by Eikadistes

At this point, I say no, it does not have something to teach us about preconceptions. I think it's like trying to learn about the physics of stars by observing Van Gogh's painting Starry Night. No matter how advanced or well-defined our models, they are still (for now) just models and analogies.

Maybe it does, insofar as it can teach us what a preconception is not.

As Diogénēs describes of a preconception, it is a "memory of the appearances from abroad", so being able to experience/process sensation, as I read it, is a necessary precursor to a preconception.

In an Epicurean sense, I don't think it's accurate to say that LLM's can have "preconceptions" because they are prone to error. Rather, it looks to me like they are being programmed with "opinions", some of which are true ... but they are not, themselves, standards of truth. They lack the standard of sensation, so they're at the whim of their programmers' memories.

We'll need to get to the point where an android organically dreams of sheep.

If I were on Picard's Enterprise-D, I would, personally, trust Data, but not the ship's computer, even if 99% of their knowledge-base were shared. If I'm going to risk losing my arm, I'm not going to take advice from an armless thing. Give that thing an arm to lose, and then see how it thinks. Likewise, I'll trust Data's description of the texture of kitten fur before the computer's, or the flavor of Picard's tea (probably bitter Earl Grey), over anything else for which it lacks its own sensory organs.

Quote from Titus

I just wanted to share my thoughts on a topic that has been on my mind for a long time.

Really cool thought, though! It's at least worth the thought experiment.

Perhaps the Eureka! moment of a life-changing discovery is more like an intellectual orgasm.

Or maybe it's like getting "abducted by aliens". If you genuinely believe you gained new perspective, you experience both (1) the excitement of certainty, and (2) the fear of social ridicule.

Quote from Cassius

The Epicurean texts don't describe "the best life" in any but very general mental and bodily terms, culminating in the description of 100% pleasure 0% pain, which we ought to recognize is the best terminology that by definition can be achieved.

Indeed! I read this earlier today by coincidence: "He (sc. Metrodorus) [writes] that, although he likes the idea that the [best] life is the one that is [accompanied by tranquillity], peace, and cares that cause minimal trouble, it does not seem that this goal is achieved at least in this way, namely, if we avoid all those things over which, if they were present, we would sometimes experience difficulties and distress. For in truth many things do cause some pain if they are present but disturb us more if they are absent. Thus, health does involve some care and effort for the body but causes unspeakably more distress when it is absent" (Philódēmos, On Property Management, Col. 12-13)

Later (of interest) he adds, "one must not avoid all things that, if they are present, may cause all kinds of troubles, concerns, and worries. On the contrary, [one must accept] some things, among which is in fact wealth, that are less of a burden when they are present" (Ibid., Col. 13)

Quote from Don

Quote from kochiekoch

Epicurus beer!!!

Epi-Coors-us?

Funny you should mention it...

Quote from Don

Quote from Cassius

"Trust" or "Faith" implies an object which we are trusting or having faith in. As general term in an Epicurean context, what would be that object?

Nature as in "the way things are."

I'd also add, the Canon. We trust in the reliability and consistency of our senses, which reveal Nature, just as we reject scriptural inerrancy and its self-described revelations as a criterion of knowledge.

This is where there's a certain balance in one's choice of translation.

There will never be an absolutely "true" translation, because any receiver of a text is receiving that text through the filter of their own linguistic, cultural, generational, and academic contexts. Granted, there are definitely plenty of "false" interpretations ... but others are good, and some are better.

I present Epicurean pístis as "faith" to Christians to challenge their pre-existing assumption about the nature of "faith". With other Epicureans, we tend to avoid religious jargon and speak frankly, so "faith" is a much less helpful term. To those unfamiliar, "faith" might be a confusing translation.

Just an etymological note, the word used throughout the New Testament for "faith" (πίστις or pístis) is also used by Epíkouros throughout his Epistles, and once in the Key Doctrines:

1. Epistle to Herodotos 63:

“Then it is necessary that those [who are] comprehending [all of this] are [always] referring to the sensations and [the faculty of] feeling — for the firmest faith will thus be established — seeing that the soul exists through a finely-grained body [that is] spreading [throughout] an amalgamation [of flesh].”

2. Epistle to Pythokles 85:

“So then, the first goal of knowledge about the meteoric, either [to] speak in conjunction [with facts] or to independently practice [science], is nothing else than tranquility and firm faith, just as in the case of the rest [of our investigations].”

3. Key Doctrine 40:

“Those who keep the means to be prepared enjoy the most confidence out of coexisting with other people, in this way also those who live pleasantly among one another keep steadfast faith, and engender the fullest intimacy so as not to mourn lamentably for those who died before their time had come.” (10.154)

Quote from Bryan

This is excellent -- great idea to have each one link to the specific papyri.info page!

P.Herc. 908 may actually be by Demetrius Lacon. The content is interesting -- the topic is on sex, and it is very medical/gynecological (rather than moral/ethical).

Thanks! Let me know if you see anything in need of revision. The site does host some information that seems to conflict, especially between Latin and Greek translations (where they are).

I've finished updating the list of P.Herc. fragments.

I've been meaning to do this for a while, but I've organized the Herculaneum scrolls by number, and linked each one with the fragment that is hosted online in ancient Greek.

I'm still working on Philódēmos. Most of the scrolls are his.

Quote from Bryan

I would be very grateful for any information in regard to finding Giovanni Indelli and Voula Tsouna's treatment of Philodemus' On Choices and Avoidances, published by Bibliopolis in 1995.

I found a free, digital copy living here at the moment.

I've also organized the translation from that text on twentiers.com.

I'm taking this guy's advice from The Matrix:

Raphael Raul with your visual perspective, I'm wondering what your thoughts are on this subject? Assuming that the Renaissance painter Raphael included Epíkouros in "The School of Athens", which figure would you assume him to be? (You can find more context in previous posts).

History generally recognizes this as being Epíkouros:

Figure with Laurel Leaves.png

Many of us tend to think that's incorrect, given the option of this figure:

Cloaked Figure in Orange.png

Or perhaps the truth is something contrary to either of these positions.

I just wanted your perspective, given your latest artistic contribution.

Quote from Pacatus

beginning Google searches by typing “-ai” eliminates the AI overview feature.

Re-quoting this ^^^^ for emphasis.

I think there's a subtle, nautical metaphor Epíkouros encrypted here.

I'm looking at the active particle (in the dative singular) τῷ ἐκπίπτοντι (tõi ekpíptonti), which Bailey translates as "him who errs". The phrase is referring to "the one doing the ekpíptō-ing", or "the one falling out of...", as in "...out of a boat", for example, "being cast ashore".

With this in mind, consider the second part of the prepositional phrase διʼ ἀοριστίαν (di' aoristían) that Bailey translates as "through excess". The word ἀοριστίαν (aoristían) comes from ἀ- ("not") and οριστικός ("definite"), which is the root word from which we receive "horizon" and "horizontal".

So, "the one doing the ekpíptō-ing" is doing so διά (diá) "by way of", "on account of", or "due to" something being "indefinite" (for example, a boundary, limit, or horizon). If there aren't any lighthouses, and the captain views an indefinite horizon, the boat is likely to crash.

I think he's calling someone who can't "live simply" a trainwreck, or in this case, a "ship-wreck".

Quote from Kalosyni

beautiful ancient Greek woman

I've been noticing that AI seems to default to people with Northern European features, even when given direction otherwise. I'm just wondering, what is that Valkyrie doing in Greece?

This is another issue I see with AI: It has beauty standards, subjective beauty standards. Someone is setting those standards, or else, it's being fed data that begs it to arrive at that conclusion.

It was asked to generate a beautiful Greek woman, and it rendered a blonde. It's like ... jeez, AI, tell us your PornHub categories without telling us your PornHub categories.

Quote from Don

Google's AI summaries at the top of ALL my searches are intrusive and far and away useless the large majority of the time. I still use Google, but I'm rapidly being more likely to use other search engines for this exact reason.

I feel you 1,000%.

Even on the Starship Enterprise, I would still fact check the computer.

How can we ever know, unless we are the ones doing the knowing?

Quote from Matteng

One must be careful not to create a false dichotomy like virtue vs. pleasure.

No doubt!

Quote from Eoghan Gardiner

Should we try to study Ecclesiastes from an Epicurean POV? Has it been done previously?

I'm re-visiting this now.

This question has a lot to do with dating.

The saturation of philosophical ideas initially lead me to believe that it should be dated to the Hellenistic period, but that may not be correct. For example, it doesn't contain any Greek loan words, but it does contain several Persian loan words, suggesting that it couldn't have been written earlier than the 5th-century BCE. If it were produced in this period, that negates any Greek influence.

At the same time, if the final form of the text were polished in the 2nd-century BCE, then I think it would be more appropriate to view Qoheleth as a sort of philosopher. That being said, though, I read the author to have more in common with the Cynics as opposed to the Epicureans.

Still there are a number of strong analogies to Epicurean Philosophy, most of which you have documented above (and thank you for doing so!)

I'm organizing some data here.

Speak of the devil: https://www.twentiers.com/commedia/