Posts by Kalosyni

Not sure if this translator is useful, or has already been mentioned:

Akhos Morphology

Quote from Julia

using Dark Reader (a browser plugin)

Thanks for posting about how to use that to adjust to dark mode.

I am on a tablet that is running android, so I would need to see if there is an app for that.

I changed the black background to a blue-gray background (it has a mix of blue, gray, and black) and the theme name is:

"Ambiance Simple Blue-Gray Dark":

New theme:

"Ambiance Blue Plain Black"

Let me know if I should make the black background slightly less black (a ting of gray).

Quote from Cassius

new theme on request of Martin - it is labeled A-Default-Widescreen.

It's the same as the current default theme (Inspire) but it will go to 100% page width no matter how wide your screen might be - so there should be little if any background image visible to the right or left side of the screen.

It shows a narrow border of gray on my tablet, but it is wider format than the default theme.

(*edit)

Welcome to the forum David!

You may like this short "powerpoint" presentation (if you haven't already seen it):

Post

Seven Steps With Epicurus - A Slide Presentation

epicureanfriends.com/wcf/attachment/3636/

As part of our collaborative work toward an "Epicurean Week" we have come up with a series of "power-point" slides which introduce the philosophy in seven simple steps. The formulation here may change over time as we fine tune this as part of our course materials. This will eventually be expanded into a "7 Weeks with Epicurus". Questions and comments are welcome. Click here for the presentation or you can just click on the graphic above to begin the…

Cassius

April 4, 2023 at 9:31 AM

Quote from David

One particular point that is nagging me a little just now is how energy is (directly or by implication) dealt with in the physics.

Martin maybe can help?

Foxhole theme is now turned off.

The two new themes have been renamed:

- Ambiance Dark Garden

- Inspire Light Garden

(I'm not sure how to make the tiny preview image show in the drop-down list).

Quote from Julia

The Inspire version called "Garden" is nice

Thanks!

Somehow we cross-posted (in that I didn't see your post till after posting).

There is a "slideshow" programmed into that theme for the image across the top (it makes the image move from top to bottom), and not sure how to turn that off (hopefully it isn't a problem).

After an attempt to put a starry night sky in the background of the 'Stars' theme, I decided to scrap that idea (theme has been deleted), because I can't seem to get the right resolution or the right colors (looked too blurry).

Instead there is now a 'Garden' theme, which has olive trees, a bust of Epicurus and a segment of the Wall of Diogenes of Oinaoanda.

Snapshot of the "Stars" theme (which doesn't have stars, lol). This is the same as the default theme but has a blue background and has the water motif removed. The blue may vary depending on your own screen.

Here is a screenshot of a new website theme (I mentioned in previous post), and the logo needs a blue box behind it so that it will show up better (plus other image adjustments).

Cassius thank you for all your time in creating and maintaining this site! Since you installed the new website upgrade (which was at the end of 2023?) and I would guess that the theme background images somehow slipped "into the background" compared to all the other more pressing issues (there is so much going on here with text content and moderation, and the podcast, etc).

Now I am super excited by the realization of the ability to customize the themes, looking forward to further helping out with process. I am sure that we all want the forum to look inviting for visitors and members alike.

I've started working on a possible theme option, and it should be available for signed in members, although the new background will only show up for laptop and tablet views (not cell phones). It is a work in progress still with some tweeking still needed...to try the new theme click on "Kalosyni Ambiance Blue" under the change style option.

Welcome to the forum Remus

Based on your ongoing study and reading, here are some sections which may be of interest to you (if you haven't already seen them):

• Self-Study Quiz

• Draft Your Own Personal Outline of Epicurean Philosophy

  
  

Quote from Julia

But in the interest of growing the community

Yes, and I want to put a vote in for deleting the the rocks/ocean themes, and instead going with more neutral colors in a default light theme.

Perhaps we could set up these options (have only four options):

1. Default light neutral theme

2. Dark neutral theme

4. Greek lettering or De Rerum Natura theme

3. Epicurean garden theme (olive trees, blue sky, and sunshine)

Quote from Julia

To be honest, I find the background images all a bit dark and gloomy…I can see how they all have a stark, rough beauty, but freezing temperatures, rocks and the raw forces of nature aren't the setting I calm down in and start to philosophise, if you see what I mean? To me, those pictures and colour themes convey more of an adventure/expedition setting than a garden setting.

Thank you for saying that, because I totally agree.

And I could chalk this up to various temperament differences (and as would be reflected in choices for website design) and then this would also reflect how Epicurean "pleasure" is understood and experienced (with an emphasis put on either intellectual for some and physical/bodily for others). I was attempting to explore this over at this thread (hadn't yet posted about temperament) and it seems that here on the forum individuals vary as to how they approach "pleasure" based on how they define it, grasp it, and to what they are attracted.

Ultimately for myself I'd choose that which reflects bliss, joy, fun, and "heaven on earth", and a society of friendship.

And yet, there is philosophy which is intellectual, so perhaps there is more to consider about how to proceed with the integration of the body and the mind. Also, there is that which is open, soft, and receiving, and that which is bold, tough, and aggressive...which can be part of temperament -- and also we must acknowlede the encultured ideas of "feminine" and "masculine".

Quote from Julia

If the major philosophies each were to be represented in a single photograph (and the corresponding colour palette), which choice would best say "Epicurean"?

These two images could be a good choice both for color palette and a background image, because it is somewhat neutral but represents the Epicurean philosophy:

(From Lucretius De Rerum Natura - wikipedia)

And this second one from the Wall of Diogenes of Oinoanda:

Quote from Little Rocker

I do carry bear spray with me everywhere I go, which is actually more effective than a gun (and a lot lighter than any gun that would take out a bear).

Oh wow, and oh good!!...and oh thanks because I totally forgot about bear spray, but I need to remember it if I ever go hiking in the wilds (depends on where and if there are bears) no plans currently but I used to hike a lot more back when I lived in Oregon.

Quote from Little Rocker

That's also why, at least if you ask me this morning, I think Epicurus would not be opposed to going to the moon if that's your particular desire. (Maybe that's in part because an hour ago I watched a black wolf chase a deer up a river in the wilderness and thought, for not the first time this week, 'I could get killed doing this' at the same time as I thought, 'this is one of the most amazing things I've ever seen.')

Perhaps time to look into wilderness gun use for self-defense against wild animals? (or could you have on hand a stun gun as a last resort?)...just thinking about what kind of options to increase safety amongst wolves and bears.

I was wondering what would happen if something went wrong with a launch on a mission heading to the space station, and it accidently sent the rocket out past the proper earth orbit sending them out into the solar system...and whether or not they are supplied with a pill to take in a worst case scenario (lost in space). And what would the astronauts ponder in such a situation...would they think well at least this will hopefully build on the future knowledge for the space program (as a benefit for future humanity, so that their death was not in vain) or perhaps they too could say to themselves "I've had a good run".

Quote from Little Rocker

I tend to think Epicurus thinks we choose our pleasures for ourselves (within certain constraints, of course), and he's more interested in clearing our heads of the impediments to pursuing and enjoying the pleasures that give us that feeling of living life largely as we please. And the most significant impediments to doing that are shame, fear, ignorance, limitless desires, and superstition. But maybe I've now come too close to the sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll interpretation.

And perhaps everything is refered back to it's over-all affect: do whatever you want if it does not cause you undue physical pain and mental distress (and also keeping to that which is just and prudent concerning others).

This thread may have some over-lapping relevant thoughts (have not yet re-read it):

Thread

Kungi's Natural and Necessary Discussion

ADMIN NOTE: This thread was split off after Post 10 of the "Welcome Kungi" Thread here. The following series of posts were originally post 11 in that thread.

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[…]

This is a prime example of confusing pleasures with desires. All pleasures are natural because pleasure/pain is the faculty of feeling. Desires are what need to be discussed in terms of what is natural, necessary, vain &c, not pleasures. I imagine this may sound like nitpicking but I'm increasingly convinced that it's an…

Godfrey

July 24, 2022 at 1:35 PM

Also...thinking...

I wonder if it would be okay or not to create these labels:

-- "pleasure as removal of pain" (eating and drinking to relieve hunger and thirst)

-- "pleasure as variation of sensation" (smelling roses, eating fancy chocolates, etc.)

-- "pleasure as homeostasis" (absense of pain, both in body and mind)

-- "pleasure as pleasant thinking" (learning, memory, gratitude)

Quote from Cassius

But this attitude toward life and and they way you conduct yourself under its influence is *not* in fact the same experience as continuous sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Those who study Epicurus expecting to find that result will get very disappointed and disillusioned. They will fall back into their old habits of looking for magical stimulative fixes that they think might actually allow them to experience those stimulations constantly.

PD10: "If the things that produce the pleasures of profligates could dispel the fears of the mind about the phenomena of the sky, and death, and its pains, and also teach the limits of desires (and of pains), we should never have cause to blame them: for they would be filling themselves full, with pleasures from every source, and never have pain of body or mind, which is the evil of life." (Bailey).

It is natural to enjoy pleasures, however there is something within us which has us coming back for more, over and over again...and...many people have a craving for novelty, which we could label "pleasure as variation".

I sat down to breakfast this morning, eating my humble hard boiled egg, and began reading the special flyer for Trader Joe's:

From the flyer: "Putting the Passion Back Into Breakfast - Is your morning routine feeling a little...uninspired? Does your plain granola leave you longing for more?"

For some reason when we indulge our desire for "pleasure as variation" it does not teach us the limits. Instead, we have to think about it and apply reasoning. The desire for "pleasure as variation" has no limit (is endless). This would be one reason why the pleasures of the profligate are considered a "dead-end" (not good). But as for the desire for pleasure as the removal of pain (eating to remove the feeling of hunger) it does have a limit when we pay attention and sense that our stomach is full. An Epicurean enjoys the flavors of the food while also removing the pain of hunger.

VS42: The same span of time embraces both the beginning and the end of the greatest good. Note 42. This is the Norman DeWitt translation from his article “The Summum Bonum Fallacy” in The Classical Weekly, Vol. 44, No. 5 (Dec. 18, 1950), pp. 69-71. The same item is rendered by Epicurus.net as: “The same time produces both the beginning of the greatest good and the dissolution of the evil.” Bailey: “The greatest blessing is created and enjoyed at the same moment.” (This last paragraph is copied directly from the VS Text section of the forum).

Quote from Godfrey

it's possible for pleasures of the prodigal to teach us some of these things. I presume that many of us have stories of pursuing excessive pleasures in our youth, only to begin to discover the limits of our pains and desires in the process.

This can be true depending on the situation, however in some cases there can be irreparable damage/illness caused to the body by some behaviours -- so we need to heed the wise advice of others or we will suffer the consequences.

Quote from Kalosyni

And from the Wall of Diogenes of Oinoanda:

"...observing that most people suffer from false notions about things and do not listen to the body] when it brings important and just [accusations] against the soul, alleging that it is unwarrantably mauled and maltreated by the soul and dragged to things which are not necessary (in fact, the wants of the body are small and easy to obtain — and the soul too can live well by sharing in their enjoyment — while those of the soul are both great and difficult to obtain and, besides being of no benefit to our nature, actually involve dangers)."

This I find to be interesting because it is pointing to the needs of the body as being primary. And the way that I read this it could be hinting at what is the "unnatural and unnecessary" category -- and that the mind (soul) is what creates all sorts of whims to chase after (such as prestige and power, etc) which could end up with bad consequences.