Physics - The Nature Of The Universe

Latest Lucretius Today Podcast:  #294 - "Distinguishing Dogs From Wolves And Pleasure From Absence of Pain" | Things To Know When First Reading Epicurus: The Epicurean Paradigm Shift | Featured Videos | Community Standards And Posting Policies |

We are now requiring that new registrants confirm their request for an account by email.  Once you complete the "Sign Up" process to set up your user name and password, please send an email to the New Accounts Administator to obtain new account approval.

Regularly Checking In On A Small Screen Device? Bookmark THIS page!

Welcome to the EpicureanFriends Forums page. Please be sure that all posts conform to our policies for posting as linked at our Terms of Use page. Scroll down to navigate through the full forum. Or you can: Search by forum Tag -or- Search by Forum Shortcuts Page -or- check out our List of Featured Threads -or- from any sub-forum you can return to the main Forum Board List. Not sure where to post? Read our guidance on where to post.

List Of Frequently Used Forums
  1. Ancient Epicurean Texts (300 BC to 300 AD)
  2. The Lucretius Today Podcast and other Projects
  3. Study Resources and Activism
  4. Physics - The Nature of the Universe
  5. Canonics - The Tests of Truth: The Five Senses, Anticipations, and Feelings of Pleasure and Pain
  6. Ethics - How to Live As An Epicurean
  7. Uncategorized Section
  8. Epicurean Books, Articles, and Videos (1500's - Present)
  9. Epicurean Historical Figures - Biographies of Epicureans from Epicurus To The Present
  10. Comparisons With Non-Epicurean Philosophies
  11. History, Locations, and Customs Relevant to Ancient Epicureans
  12. Epicurean Symbolism in Art, Music, Literature, and Poetry
  13. Level 03 And Above Discussions
  14. EpicureanFriends Zoom Meetings

Physics - General Discussion

Epicurus' views of the nature of the universe are the foundation of every aspect of his philosophy. While many particulars have changed, Epicurus' overall assessment of the non-supernatural nature of the universe remains fully valid today.
Threads
45
Posts
490
Last Posts
What fears does modern science remove, as Epicurean physics did in antiquity?
Don June 6, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Was Atlantis An Allegorical Flight of Fancy Like Plato's Cave And His Ideal Forms?
Eikadistes January 29, 2025 at 10:01 AM

Nothing Can Be Created From Nothing - Nothing Can Be Destroyed To Nothing

Nothing From Nothing / Nothing To Nothing / Eternality of the Universe
Threads
9
Posts
88
Last Posts
Must All Things That Have A Beginning Have An End?
Cassius May 2, 2025 at 10:46 AM
New Slideshow: Nothing Comes From Nothing
Cassius November 10, 2024 at 3:51 PM

The Universe Is Infinite And Eternal And Has No Gods Over It

Threads
15
Posts
105
Last Posts
Epicurean Views of "Teleology"
Cassius March 14, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Modern Scientific Challenges To Theory That Universe Had A "Big Bang" Beginning
Kalosyni November 11, 2024 at 11:05 AM

Gods Have No Attributes Inconsistent With Blessedness and Incorruptibility

This forum focuses on questions of the "existence" and "nature" of Epicurean gods. The Ethical questions of a proper attitude toward divinity are discussed in this Ethics subforum.

Threads
49
Posts
779
Last Posts
Philodemus On Piety
Cassius June 20, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Ancient Greek Gods and Goddesses Positive Attributes
Cassius May 11, 2025 at 7:10 AM

The Motion Of Elemental Bodies Has No Supernatural Cause

Threads
2
Posts
4
Last Posts
References on Motion in Lucretius and Diogenes Laertius
Cassius April 12, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Elihu Palmer On The Origin of Motion (Eternal, Property of Matter) From "Principles of Nature" 1806
Cassius April 10, 2025 at 11:53 AM

Death Is Nothing To Us - No Immortal Soul

This Physics forum addresses the reasoning behind the conclusion that there is no immortal soul. For the ethical implications of this conclusion, and how to think about this fact, see the Ethics forum.
Threads
17
Posts
90
Last Posts
Thought experiment - A vacation without lasting memories
Kalosyni October 3, 2024 at 11:22 AM
No Supernatural Entities, Forces, or Powers and No Ghosts
Patrikios September 28, 2024 at 6:28 PM

There Is No Necessity To Live Under the Control of Necessity - Against Determinism

This forum also includes discussion of such terms as "free will" and "agency."
Threads
23
Posts
238
Last Posts
Determinism & Chaos Theory
Bryan January 25, 2025 at 9:01 PM
what did epicurean actually mean by free will ? i think the article on the main page is confusing determinism with fatalism
Root304 December 22, 2024 at 2:24 AM

All Bodies Are Made Of Atoms and Void

Threads
11
Posts
26
Last Posts
First Picture of "Free Range Atoms"
Cassius May 6, 2025 at 7:15 AM
Key Citations On Atoms, Void, and Emergence
Cassius February 2, 2025 at 3:44 PM

Nature Operates Through Fundamental Principles

Discussion of the Fundamental Observations About Nature (Physics) Which Are The Starting Point of Epicurean Philosophy.
Threads
3
Posts
91
Last Posts
General Notes On Fundamentals of Nature
Cassius June 14, 2024 at 8:40 AM
The Twelve Fundamentals - Discussion on Lucretius Today Podcast
Bryan March 28, 2024 at 6:28 PM

Bodies Have Properties And Qualities

Threads
1
Posts
1
Last Posts
Video on Emergent Properties
Cassius September 17, 2021 at 9:46 AM

Nature Is Not Controlled By Ideal Forms, Mathematics, or Geometry

This forum will collect discussions of Epicurus' rejection of the use of various arguments associated mainly with Pythagorus and Plato (geometry and mathematical and "ideal forms") or Aristotle (essences) as the basis of an ordered universe created by a supernatural force.
Threads
4
Posts
35
Last Posts
Article: "Epicurean Induction and Atomism In Mathematics" - Michael Aristidou (2023)
Cassius August 15, 2025 at 7:19 AM
Plato's Timaeus vs. On Nature, Book 14
Bryan February 24, 2025 at 6:41 PM

Life Elsewhere In The Universe

Threads
10
Posts
97
Last Posts
Primary Epicurean References Relevant To Life Elsewhere In The Universe
Cassius August 9, 2025 at 9:46 AM
Article: "Scientists Are Planning For Life After Finding Aliens"
Don July 22, 2025 at 8:01 AM

The Universe Has No Center

Threads
2
Posts
2
Last Posts
Modern Science On The Issue of the Universe Having No Center
Cassius January 23, 2021 at 9:13 AM
Epicurus On The Universe As Having No Center
Cassius January 23, 2021 at 7:53 AM

There Is A Limit To Divisibility Just As There Is A Limit To Magnitude

Threads
2
Posts
20
Last Posts
Epicurus On The Issue of Impossibility of Infinite Divisibility
Cassius January 23, 2021 at 9:17 AM
Indivisibilty And Its Significance
Cassius December 31, 2019 at 9:27 AM

Human Civilization and Language Develop Naturally - Not By Divine Guidance

Threads
1
Posts
2
Last Posts
Humanity in relation to time (video)
Kalosyni May 26, 2023 at 10:48 AM

Incorporation Of Modern Research

Issues relating to modern research will appear throughout the other forums, but this subforum is specifically devoted to modern researchers whose work is relevant to modern scientific perspectives on physics -- and also human physiology.
Threads
14
Posts
147
Last Posts
Article: Scientists in a race to discover why our Universe exists
kochiekoch May 20, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Sabine Hossenfelder - Why the Multiverse Is Religion
Eikadistes May 19, 2025 at 3:39 PM

Isonomia / Isonomy

Threads
3
Posts
74
Last Posts
Epicurean Isonomy In The Context Of Statements By Balbus As To Gradations In Life In Book 2 of "On the Nature of the Gods"
Cassius August 10, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Isonomia
Bryan August 31, 2024 at 12:02 PM

Unread Threads

    1. Title
    2. Replies
    3. Last Reply

    2. Ecclesiastes what insights can we gleam from it? 4

      • Eoghan Gardiner
      • August 18, 2025 at 7:54 AM
    3. Replies
      4
      Views
      1.6k
      4

    4. Kalosyni

      August 18, 2025 at 7:54 AM

    2. Grumphism? LOL

      • Don
      • August 16, 2025 at 3:17 PM
    3. Replies
      0
      Views
      129

    2. Beyond Stoicism (2025) 20

      • Don
      • August 15, 2025 at 4:28 PM
    3. Replies
      20
      Views
      748
      20

    4. Don

      August 15, 2025 at 4:28 PM

    2. Immutability of Epicurean school in ancient times 11

      • TauPhi
      • July 29, 2025 at 2:14 PM
    3. Replies
      11
      Views
      1.1k
      11

    4. Eikadistes

      July 29, 2025 at 2:14 PM

    2. Recorded Statements of Metrodorus 11

      • Cassius
      • July 28, 2025 at 7:23 PM
    3. Replies
      11
      Views
      872
      11

    4. Cassius

      July 28, 2025 at 7:23 PM

Finding Things At EpicureanFriends.com

What's the best strategy for finding things on EpicureanFriends.com? Here's a suggested search strategy:

  • First, familiarize yourself with the list of forums. The best way to find threads related to a particular topic is to look in the relevant forum. Over the years most people have tried to start threads according to forum topic, and we regularly move threads from our "general discussion" area over to forums with more descriptive titles.
  • Use the "Search" facility at the top right of every page. Note that the search box asks you what section of the forum you'd like to search. If you don't know, select "Everywhere." Also check the "Search Assistance" page.
  • Use the "Tag" facility, starting with the "Key Tags By Topic" in the right hand navigation pane, or using the "Search By Tag" page, or the "Tag Overview" page which contains a list of all tags alphabetically. We curate the available tags to keep them to a manageable number that is descriptive of frequently-searched topics.