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Fourth Sunday Zoom - open to new members. 12:30 PM EDT - November 23, 2025 - Discussion topic: "What role does food take in an Epicurean lifestyle?". To find out how to attend and read more on the discussion topic CLICK HERE.
Recent Activities
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Don
PostNovember 22, 2025 at 12:37 PM I'm light of my last post, I'll propose:
Ἄφοβον ὁ θεός, - God causes no fear
ἀνύποπτον ὁ θάνατος - Death causes no worry
καὶ τἀγαθὸν μὲν εὔκτητον, - and so there's no effort to acquire The Good (pleasure);
τὸ δὲ δεινὸν… -
Don
PostNovember 22, 2025 at 9:22 AM I'm getting the sense of, instead of "easy" which to me implies a level of dismissiveness, a better idea would be "without effort or struggle." To illustrate this point, here are some of the other words in the same area of the LSJ dictionary: -
Tony Fox
November 22, 2025 at 7:33 AM Replied to the thread Sunday Nov. 23, 2025 - Epicurean Philosophy Discussion Via Zoom - Topic of Discussion.PostI would very much like to attend, though I work on sundays. So I might consider bathtubs to be both natural and necessary that day -
Cassius
PostNovember 22, 2025 at 7:17 AM […]
Clearly wisdom is the presumption here, but the grammar and the historical usage that Don has cited probably requires something else. -
Kalosyni
PostNovember 22, 2025 at 7:07 AM […]
Could the word "wise" be used here instead? ...It's the Epicurean who really (or correctly) understands the wise position on these issues. -
Cassius
PostNovember 22, 2025 at 3:24 AM Good list of various translations - thank you! In this case I'd lean toward one of the latter. Each of them would or could have more consistent implications for being Epicurus' version of explaining how virtue and happiness go hand in hand and how the… -
Martin
November 22, 2025 at 1:14 AM Replied to the thread Specific Methods of Resistance Against Our Coming AI Overlords.PostBelow is an example of what happens in other groups, in this case "Philosophy matters" on Facebook as quoted from maybe two months ago. (I thought, I had posted it here already in September but saw only today that it was still an unsent draft):
[…] -
Don
PostNovember 21, 2025 at 10:38 PM FWIW, Emily Austin's translation:
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Don
PostNovember 21, 2025 at 10:34 PM -
Cassius
PostNovember 21, 2025 at 6:51 PM […]
You're not a broken record on this at all.
This part let me be clear I don't say sarcastically at all --- I just look forward to the day that your translation prevails over Wikipedia consensus!
This is a large part of what we are up against!
Don also… -
Don
PostNovember 21, 2025 at 5:59 PM At risk of being a broken record, is important to remember that the first two lines are *not* commands. They're not in the imperative: "Don't do this." They are statements of fact:
God causes no fear.
Death causes no need for anxiety. -
Cassius
ThreadNovember 21, 2025 at 4:37 PM Welcome to Episode 309 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… -
Pacatus
November 21, 2025 at 4:35 PM Replied to the thread Specific Methods of Resistance Against Our Coming AI Overlords.PostAI Hallucination
Just heard about this, and thought I’d share …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallucina…l_intelligence)
For example (from the article):
“By 2023, analysts considered frequent hallucination to be a major problem in LLM technology, with a… -
Cassius
PostNovember 21, 2025 at 3:46 PM I've now posted the episode and in finalizing the title I realized that the proper name is tracing these four ideas from the Principal Doctrines to the Tetrapharmakon to Cicero's Epicurean SpeakerS" - but we only mentioned Torquatus. For those reading… -
Cassius
PostNovember 21, 2025 at 3:41 PM Episode 308 of the Lucretius Today Podcast is now available. This week our episode is entitled: "Tracing Four Key Ideas From the Principal Doctrines to the Tetrapharmakon To Cicero's Epicureans"
[media]https://www.spreaker.com/episode/68684769/media -
Kalosyni
November 21, 2025 at 2:46 PM Replied to the thread Sunday Nov. 23, 2025 - Epicurean Philosophy Discussion Via Zoom - Topic of Discussion.PostIt's also likely that we will want to discuss the category of desire "natural/unnecessary" which some people like to label as "extravagant".


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Cassius
PostNovember 21, 2025 at 12:37 PM A reference from this podcast for those who don't know it. I am amazed that in a quick look for "how sweet it is" with Jackie Gleason this is the only one i find. I know there must be hundreds more:
youtube.com/watch?v=Vw0TaZhvKes -
Kalosyni
November 21, 2025 at 12:26 PM Replied to the thread Sunday Nov. 23, 2025 - Epicurean Philosophy Discussion Via Zoom - Topic of Discussion.PostHere is the video recommended to watch before Sunday's meeting:
Bread And Water - Debunking The Myth of Epicurean Asceticism - By Don Boozer -
Kalosyni
ThreadNovember 21, 2025 at 12:22 PM -
Cassius
PostNovember 21, 2025 at 11:22 AM This podcast will be released later today. In the meantime another note:
In discussing the tetrapharmakon i make the comment around 28 minutes in that people often have a problem with the use of the term "easy" as it applies to the good being easy to get… -
Patrikios
November 20, 2025 at 9:18 PM Replied to the thread Recorded Statements of Metrodorus.Post[…]
Thanks, TauPhi
I found the July 2025 post by Hiram Crespo that links to 7 articles on Metrodorus.
https://hiramcrespo.substack.com/p/commentaries…us-of-lampsacus -
Cassius
November 20, 2025 at 5:18 PM Replied to the thread Welcome Tony Fox.PostMost of us are continental USA but Northern Europe is in a strong second place. Welcome aboard! -
Tony Fox
November 20, 2025 at 4:49 PM Replied to the thread Welcome Tony Fox.PostI'm very pleased to hear about the lecrutius podcast. It's a fascinating text.
I'm from the netherlands, an extremely secular country compared to the world, it's culturally abrahamic however. Most believe in primordial spiritual virtues, and think… -
Eikadistes
FileNovember 20, 2025 at 12:23 PM Epíkouros, Metródōros, Philódēmos, Dēmḗtrios, and other, ancient Epicureans present piety as a function of neuropsychology and theology as a feature of anthropology. The gods, themselves are conceptual representations conditioned by memory.… -
Godfrey
November 20, 2025 at 10:20 AM Replied to the thread Happy Twentieth of November 2025!.PostHappy 20th, all! -
Kalosyni
November 20, 2025 at 8:59 AM Replied to the thread Happy Twentieth of November 2025!.PostWishing everyone a Happy Twentieth!
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Kalosyni
November 20, 2025 at 8:33 AM Replied to the thread Welcome Tony Fox.PostWelcome to the forum Tony Fox
You might like this video overview by Cassius (if you haven't already seen it)...
m.youtube.com/watch?v=6iXCI88Z64U&t -
Kalosyni
November 20, 2025 at 8:25 AM Posted the thread Happy Twentieth of November 2025!.Thread -
Martin
November 20, 2025 at 5:10 AM Replied to the thread Welcome Tony Fox.PostWelcome Tony Fox! -
Tony Fox
November 20, 2025 at 5:00 AM Replied to the thread Welcome Tony Fox.PostIt would seem so, I never thought of that commonality!
Rather than leaving it with the paradox or living as an atheist, I want to seek out the truth, (not live mY truth in particular). -
Eikadistes
November 20, 2025 at 3:42 AM Replied to the thread New Home Page Video: How Can The Wise Epicurean Always Be Happy?.Post[…]
The original manuscript shows the verb προσπτύσαντες (prosptúsantes, or “embracing“) as opposed to the nearly-identical verb προπτύσαντες (proptúsantes, or “spitting on“). Metródōros either means to “embrace the great inevitability” or “spit upon … -
Cassius
November 20, 2025 at 2:13 AM Replied to the thread Welcome Tony Fox.PostOf course Epicurus likely would have agreed with the conclusion and at least some of the reasoning, but his primary approach on gods was significantly different.
The riddle is based on pointing out contradictions in someone else's argument which certainly… -
Tony Fox
November 19, 2025 at 9:46 PM Replied to the thread Welcome Tony Fox.PostHello nice to be here,
I was raised catholic but I could never get around the contradictions of the christians. The problem of evil was always painful for me. Later I discovered there was this 'epicurean paradox' explaining the issue.
Later I discovered… -
Cassius
November 19, 2025 at 9:33 PM Replied to the thread Welcome Tony Fox.PostBrief info on Tony is that he was raised catholic and came across Epicureanism when studying history. He's read and studied his letter to menoeceus, his texts on physics and 'on the nature of things', as well as his last wish. He's particular… -
Cassius
ThreadNovember 19, 2025 at 9:31 PM Tonight we had a spirited discussion on several options for interpreting this doctrine. I see that we don' have FAQ entry on this and now would be good time to construct one.
We clearly have some divergent opinions on how to interpret this one so I'll… -
Cassius
November 19, 2025 at 8:56 PM Replied to the thread Welcome Tony Fox.PostTony has emailed me -- Welcome! -
Cassius
November 19, 2025 at 8:55 PM Posted the thread Welcome Tony Fox.ThreadWelcome Tony Fox
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,… -
Kalosyni
November 19, 2025 at 7:02 PM Replied to the thread New Home Page Video: How Can The Wise Epicurean Always Be Happy?.Post[…]
This is a quote by Metrodorus. I also want to say that the "spitting contempt" part just doesn't make sense from an Epicurean standpoint - at least in my mind. The Epicurean would be too busy either: enjoying a last taste of something pleasurable, or… -
Cassius
November 19, 2025 at 3:46 PM Replied to the thread Happy Birthday General Thread.PostSomehow I missed this earlier today. Yes, happy birthday sanantoniogarden -
Daniel188
November 19, 2025 at 3:25 PM Replied to the thread Welcome Daniel188!.Post[…]
What I mean is that Stoic physics is based on providence. Essentially, according to the Stoics, the world is harmoniously and rationally ordered. This is something intentional.
Epicureans approach physics from an atomic perspective and do not recognize… -
Kalosyni
November 19, 2025 at 1:22 PM Replied to the thread Welcome Daniel188!.PostWelcome to the forum!
[…]
Just asking for clarity sake...were you referring to the Epicurean natural physics or referring to Epicurean ethics based on nature/what is natural? -
Kalosyni
November 19, 2025 at 12:21 PM Replied to the thread Happy Birthday General Thread.Post -
Cassius
PostNovember 19, 2025 at 10:52 AM I'll be adding some notes as I make while editing this episode. Thist first note also relates to recent comments about natural and necessary desires and how one of the key aspects of the unnatural / unnecessary category is that they CANNOT be satisfied.… -
Don
November 19, 2025 at 8:24 AM Replied to the thread Against using the word "corrosive" for the "unnatural/unnecessary" category.PostAustin herself admits the less than optimal choice of extravagant and corrosive. See (note 2)...
Corrosive desires are corrosive to one's well-being. Take away something corrosive, and one can begin to heal.
She herself admits she couldn't go through the… -
Don
November 19, 2025 at 6:43 AM Replied to the thread Welcome Daniel188!.PostWelcome aboard! -
Cassius
November 19, 2025 at 4:05 AM Replied to the thread Happy Birthday General Thread.PostHappy Birthday to sanantoniogarden! Learn more about sanantoniogarden and say happy birthday on sanantoniogarden's timeline: sanantoniogarden -
Martin
November 19, 2025 at 2:33 AM Replied to the thread Welcome Daniel188!.PostWelcome Daniel! -
Cassius
November 18, 2025 at 9:16 PM Replied to the thread New Home Page Video: How Can The Wise Epicurean Always Be Happy?.PostBy the time I post this message version 2 of this video will be live, with a significantly improved voice. It's still far from perfect, but much better.
Not as an apology but as a statement of fact, Hollywood-quality video doesn't spring into existence… -
Cassius
November 18, 2025 at 7:12 PM Replied to the thread Welcome Daniel188!.PostOh no, I am not sure we can handle two participants from Poland!
You'll have to speak with TauPhi
Glad to have you with us Daniel! -
Daniel188
November 18, 2025 at 4:53 PM Replied to the thread Welcome Daniel188!.PostHello philosophy lovers!
My name is Daniel and I'm from Poland. I became interested in philosophy a few years ago, and the first practical philosophy I learned was Stoicism. I was primarily drawn to Stoicism by reading Arrian's notes on Epictetus's…
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