LATEST LUCRETIUS TODAY PODCAST: Episode 334 - Further Epicurean Analysis Of The Problems With Stoic Kataleptic Impressions" | Website Overview | Forum Navigation Map | Latest Blog Post: "The Continuing Vitality of Epicurean Physics"
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DaveT
May 26, 2026 at 7:05 PM Replied to the thread Have PD35 and Vatican Saying 7 been straw-manned?.Post[…]
I'm probably missing something here.
But in that case if we average folk are among what he called ethnicities, what are our obligations when it comes to dealing with others?
And how about obeying laws coming down from on high in modern day USA. For… -
Kalosyni
May 26, 2026 at 5:56 PM Replied to the thread Welcome H.NurBeyazErkizan!.PostWelcome to the forum h.nur beyaz erkizan
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Griffin
May 26, 2026 at 5:37 PM Replied to the thread Welcome H.NurBeyazErkizan!.PostHello and welcome h.nur beyaz erkizan -
Bryan
May 26, 2026 at 3:42 PM Replied to the thread Have PD35 and Vatican Saying 7 been straw-manned?.PostPossessing power is clearly harmful to the extent that it brings increased stress and dangers. However, possessing power is clearly beneficial to the extent that it can be used to provide security and stability.
ΚΔ 7: "Some people want to become… -
Martin
May 26, 2026 at 10:12 AM Replied to the thread Have PD35 and Vatican Saying 7 been straw-manned?.PostThat might or might not be the case. I thought about this in analogy to my own experience with math. Probably, most people do not like to solve math problems. Math nerds may get pleasure out of the struggle to solve a math problem. I know that because I… -
Cassius
May 26, 2026 at 4:07 AM Replied to the thread Happy Birthday General Thread.PostHappy Birthday to AxA! Learn more about AxA and say happy birthday on AxA's timeline: AxA -
wbernys
May 26, 2026 at 2:41 AM Replied to the thread Have PD35 and Vatican Saying 7 been straw-manned?.Post[…]
I just wonder if this relies too much on their own self-reports and what they like to present themselves as, basically gaslight themselves and others by acting like they really, deep down, enjoy the struggle. When objectively, when they are anxious,… -
Martin
May 26, 2026 at 2:10 AM Replied to the thread Have PD35 and Vatican Saying 7 been straw-manned?.PostI agree with most of what Wbernys writes in comment #10. It seems most politicians in top government positions are psychopaths. They have no empathy, neither for their future selves, nor for anyone else, and appear to lack the ability of having a bad… -
wbernys
May 25, 2026 at 11:38 PM Replied to the thread Have PD35 and Vatican Saying 7 been straw-manned?.Post[…]
Interesting point, I feel Epicurus would mainly counter this by saying that the power or protection that allows one to commit harmful actions is itself a constant source of stress and fear, they have to constantly be on watch to preserve their wealth… -
wbernys
May 25, 2026 at 10:46 PM Replied to the thread Welcome H.NurBeyazErkizan!.PostWelcome h.nur beyaz erkizan ! It's been recommended many times but as for practical living I would recommend Emily A. Austin's "Living for Pleasure: An Epicurean guide to life" for an Epicurean approach to modern living. It's ah absolutely delightful… -
Cassius
May 25, 2026 at 8:44 PM Replied to the thread Have PD35 and Vatican Saying 7 been straw-manned?.Post[…]
I might have said some of what Dave said differently, but I think this part I quoted is especially correct. Some laws may actually be by compact but the evolution of the laws as set out by Lucretius makes clear that force has always been a factor and… -
Don
May 25, 2026 at 8:19 PM Replied to the thread Welcome H.NurBeyazErkizan!.PostWelcome aboard!! -
Bryan
May 25, 2026 at 8:02 PM Replied to the thread Have PD35 and Vatican Saying 7 been straw-manned?.PostDaveT , I agree. Legal is not the same as just. Many harmful actions can be committed without much fear if the perpetrator has enough power or protection. -
Cassius
May 25, 2026 at 7:11 PM Replied to the thread Welcome H.NurBeyazErkizan!.PostA special welcome to our latest participant from the land of Diogenes of Oinoanda!
I am not fluent in the Turkish naming system so until I learn better I will refer to her as Dr. Erkizan!
Dear EpicureanFriends Team,
Thank you for your message and the… -
Cassius
May 25, 2026 at 7:10 PM Posted the thread Welcome H.NurBeyazErkizan!.ThreadWelcome h.nur beyaz erkizan !
There is one last step to complete your registration:
All new registrants must post a response to this message here in this welcome thread (we do this in order to minimize spam registrations).
You must post your response… -
Bryan
May 25, 2026 at 2:59 PM Replied to the thread Bryan Harris Interlinear Translation Of Lucretius.Post[…]
In this context (DRN 2.749), Lucretius is just explaining that the atoms lack color, and he uses various examples of color shifting on a single object to help make that point. -
DaveT
May 25, 2026 at 11:22 AM Replied to the thread Have PD35 and Vatican Saying 7 been straw-manned?.Post[…]
To your original question above: I'm concluding (perhaps from ingnorance) that these PDs and VSs as well as interpretations of Epicurus' meanings are generally focused on why you shouldn't do unlawful or unjust acts that are immoral is because you… -
Kalosyni
May 25, 2026 at 9:18 AM Replied to the thread Bryan Harris Interlinear Translation Of Lucretius.PostBryan
Quote from Bryan
For example:
"ómnis énim Cólor omnī́nō mūtā́tur ín ómnīs"
...for every Color is altogether changed into every [color]
However, given Lucretius uses "mūtā́tur," the word "mutated" is a direct descendant:
...for every Color is… -
Kalosyni
May 25, 2026 at 9:14 AM Replied to the thread Bryan Harris Interlinear Translation Of Lucretius.PostHere is a conversation moved over from private discussion of translation work:
Raphael Raul said:
Bryan, as I mentioned at today's Epicurean Friends meeting, the translation reads very smoothly in English.
I does not have that structural stiffness that… -
Kalosyni
May 25, 2026 at 8:56 AM Replied to the thread Happy Birthday General Thread.Post -
Cassius
May 25, 2026 at 4:05 AM Replied to the thread Happy Birthday General Thread.PostHappy Birthday to m.dango! Learn more about m.dango and say happy birthday on m.dango's timeline: m.dango -
Bryan
May 25, 2026 at 3:12 AM Replied to the thread Have PD35 and Vatican Saying 7 been straw-manned?.Post[…]
[…]
"τὸν λάθρα τι κινοῦντα = the one secretly moving [i.e., doing] something”
vs
"τὸν λάθρῃ τι ποιοῦντα = the one doing something in secret”
Editors use both, they really have the same meaning. -
Cassius
May 24, 2026 at 3:23 PM Posted the thread Bryan Harris Interlinear Translation Of Lucretius.ThreadBryan has graciously allow us to post here his Interlinear Translation version of Lucretius. We will keep this post updated with the latest version.
Bryan Harris Book One - DE RERUM NATURA 1.pdf -
Cassius
May 24, 2026 at 2:25 PM Replied to the thread Episode 335 - Not Yet Recorded.PostIn today's Sunday zoom we spent virtually the entire session addressing the question of how to separate sensations from prolepsis from concepts. I am posting this in the podcast thread because it relates directly to what we are currently discussing in… -
Kalosyni
May 24, 2026 at 1:40 PM Wrote the blog article On Epicurean Text Study and Contemplation.Blog ArticleOn Epicurean Text Study and Contemplation
Blog article by Kalosyni
(The following is based on material previously given out for an Epicurean Ethics study group.)
When studying Epicurean philosophy, it is important for dedicated students of Epicurus to… -
Don
May 24, 2026 at 10:05 AM Replied to the thread Welcome Buck23!.PostOh. And if we're talking "printed" in the broadest sense, don't forget the digitized books at Internet Archive:
For example, Bailey:
https://archive.org/details/Epicur…dForGreekOnLeft
DeWitt (available to borrow with free account)
… -
Patrikios
May 24, 2026 at 9:52 AM Replied to the thread PD 25 meaning? by Woolf (2004).Post -
Griffin
May 24, 2026 at 8:16 AM Replied to the thread Welcome Buck23!.PostWelcome Buck23
On printed versions, Bailey is where I'd start. His translations of the three letters and the Principal Doctrines are accurate, readable, and everything needed to build on solid ground. -
Cassius
May 24, 2026 at 7:46 AM Replied to the thread An Observation On Using Opposing Philosophers To Argue Epicurean Positions.Post[…]
Yes that's an important distinction. -
Don
May 23, 2026 at 11:45 PM Replied to the thread An Observation On Using Opposing Philosophers To Argue Epicurean Positions.Posthttps://www.academia.edu/resource/work/68024954
6 Heraclitus reveals that the supposed connection is in fact more precise: there was an established tradition of reading Odysseus' professed appreciation of Phaeacian pleasures (Od. 9.5-11) as an Epicurean… -
Don
May 23, 2026 at 11:29 PM Replied to the thread Welcome Buck23!.Post -
wbernys
May 23, 2026 at 11:16 PM Replied to the thread An Observation On Using Opposing Philosophers To Argue Epicurean Positions.PostTo add onto Joshua point, along with homer, they also may have cited Hercules, to prove pain to be an evil. In Diogenes Laertius they pointed to Hercules lamenting at the pain of being torn by his poisoned Tunic but it's hard to tell if he's quoting a… -
wbernys
May 23, 2026 at 11:07 PM Replied to the thread Welcome Buck23!.PostWelcome Buck23 as for printed versions. I would personally recommend "The Best of Epicurus" By Classic Caves.
It has all of the main letters, most of the biography (it only excludes parts about slander against Epicurus), The Vatican Sayings, and the… -
Raphael Raul
May 23, 2026 at 7:11 PM Commented on the image Our Journey from Atoms...to consciousness..Comment (Image/Video)Thank you, Julia, for your comment about my illustration "From Atoms to Consciouness".
Consciouness is an emergent property that interests me, as everything we experience in the world is filtered through it.
After you posted your comment, I illustrated a… -
Cassius
May 23, 2026 at 4:39 PM Replied to the thread Episode 335 - Not Yet Recorded.Postjust a brief comment on where we are going on the podcast at the moment:
1 - We're going through Academic Questions to help us get a general grounding on the issues of knowledge and skepticism as they were understood at the time that Epicurean philosophy… -
Don
May 23, 2026 at 3:17 PM Replied to the thread Welcome Buck23!.PostWelcome aboard Buck23 ! -
Cassius
May 23, 2026 at 1:41 PM Replied to the thread Welcome Buck23!.PostWelcome Buck. I bet others will have good commentary on printed versions. If you mean actual paper copies there is the "Hedonicon" issued by our friend Eikadistes in recent years, or the collections such as the Epicurus Reader. At this point I mainly… -
Cassius
May 23, 2026 at 1:38 PM Replied to the thread Welcome Buck23!.PostBuck23 tells us:
Hello Cassius!
I live in the US, and have been an on-and-off listener of "The Lucretius Today" podcast for a while.That said, I'm a beginner on the journey to get to know Epicurus and his philosophy. But, so far, I find much resonance with… -
Cassius
May 23, 2026 at 1:37 PM Posted the thread Welcome Buck23!.ThreadWelcome Buck23
There is one last step to complete your registration:
All new registrants must post a response to this message here in this welcome thread (we do this in order to minimize spam registrations).
You must post your response within 24 hours,… -
Bryan
May 23, 2026 at 12:57 PM Replied to the thread An Observation On Using Opposing Philosophers To Argue Epicurean Positions.PostGreat point. As a bit of "an exception that proves the rule," we do have:
"[Epicurus] especially approved of Anaxagoras among the ancients, Diocles says ¬ even though in some respects [Epicurus] had opposed [Anaxagoras] – and also [Epicurus approved… -
Todd
May 23, 2026 at 12:36 PM Replied to the thread An Observation On Using Opposing Philosophers To Argue Epicurean Positions.PostI'm not aware of any counter-examples, but it wouldn't surprise me if there were at least some.
It makes a lot of sense that what you say would be the case, though. When you have a philosophy that is not only attractive to the average person, but whose… -
Godfrey
May 23, 2026 at 12:29 PM Replied to the thread An Observation On Using Opposing Philosophers To Argue Epicurean Positions.PostIn line with Joshua 's point, I've often thought of the categories of desire as an improvement on Eastern philosophies that treat desire as something to be suppressed. This may be historically controversial but I feel like it's a high probability… -
Joshua
May 23, 2026 at 12:03 PM Replied to the thread An Observation On Using Opposing Philosophers To Argue Epicurean Positions.PostWhat we tend to see is Epicureans adapting the ideas of others, but refashioning them so that they slot in to the broader framework of Epicureanism.
The Empedoclean view of the principles of Love and Strife as ethical forces of nature was not found… -
Cassius
May 23, 2026 at 10:51 AM Posted the thread An Observation On Using Opposing Philosophers To Argue Epicurean Positions.ThreadHere's something that just occurred to me. I may be forgetting obvious examples so that's why I am posting - to see if there are counterexamples:
When I think about writers in the ancient world, I see non-Epicureans - Seneca is maybe the best example, as… -
Cassius
May 23, 2026 at 8:24 AM Replied to the thread Episode 335 - Not Yet Recorded.PostLast week we incorporated material from Wikipedia and Diogenes Laertius on the Stoics.
This week we will likely jump off from this short section of the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy on "Ancient Greek Skepticism", as this is largely what we are about… -
Cassius
May 23, 2026 at 8:20 AM Posted the thread Episode 335 - Not Yet Recorded.ThreadWelcome to Episode 335 of Lucretius Today. This is a podcast dedicated to the poet Lucretius, who wrote "On The Nature of Things," the most complete presentation of Epicurean philosophy left to us from the ancient world. Each week we walk you through the… -
Patrikios
May 22, 2026 at 5:51 PM Replied to the thread Should the Study of Modern Psychology and Positive Psychology be Encouraged?.Post -
Cassius
PostMay 22, 2026 at 3:56 PM Transcript of this episode - not perfectly edited - but usable:
https://epicurustoday.com/00-lucretiusto…st/episode_334/ -
Todd
May 22, 2026 at 1:06 PM Replied to the thread Iliustrations and Analogies For Explaining the "Two And Only Two Feelings" Argument.Post[…]
No need to apologize.
I didn't like using "devalued" either, but nothing else came immediately to mind, so I went with it and added a qualifier. -
Cassius
PostMay 22, 2026 at 12:45 PM Episode 334 of the Lucretius Today Podcast is now available. This week our episode is entitled: "Further Epicurean Analysis Of The Problems With Stoic Kataleptic Impressions."
[media]https://www.spreaker.com/episode/72117502/media
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