Welcome Nico Lab!

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Western Hemisphere Zoom.  This Sunday, May 25, at 12:30 PM EDT, we will have another zoom meeting at a time more convenient for our non-USA participants.   This week we will combine general discussion with review of the question "What Would Epicurus Say About the Search For 'Meaning' In Life?" For more details check here.

    Hello and welcome to the forum Nico Lab. First of all, are you human or robot? Please post something soon so we will know you are not a robot which should be deleted. Presuming we get past that formality...... Welcome!

    This is the place for students of Epicurus to coordinate their studies and work together to promote the philosophy of Epicurus. Please remember that all posting here is subject to our Community Standards / Rules of the Forum our Not Neo-Epicurean, But Epicurean and our Posting Policy statements and associated posts.

    Please understand that the leaders of this forum are well aware that many fans of Epicurus may have sincerely-held views of what Epicurus taught that are incompatible with the purposes and standards of this forum. This forum is dedicated exclusively to the study and support of people who are committed to classical Epicurean views. As a result, this forum is not for people who seek to mix and match some Epicurean views with positions that are inherently inconsistent with the core teachings of Epicurus.

    All of us who are here have arrived at our respect for Epicurus after long journeys through other philosophies, and we do not demand of others what we were not able to do ourselves. Epicurean philosophy is very different from other viewpoints, and it takes time to understand how deep those differences really are. That's why we have membership levels here at the forum which allow for new participants to discuss and develop their own learning, but it's also why we have standards that will lead in some cases to arguments being limited, and even participants being removed, when the purposes of the community require it. Epicurean philosophy is not inherently democratic, or committed to unlimited free speech, or devoted to any other form of organization other than the pursuit by our community of happy living through the principles of Epicurean philosophy.

    One way you can be most assured of your time here being productive is to tell us a little about yourself and personal your background in reading Epicurean texts. It would also be helpful if you could tell us how you found this forum, and any particular areas of interest that you have which would help us make sure that your questions and thoughts are addressed.

    In that regard we have found over the years that there are a number of key texts and references which most all serious students of Epicurus will want to read and evaluate for themselves. Those include the following.

    1. The Biography of Epicurus By Diogenes Laertius (Chapter 10). This includes all Epicurus' letters and the Authorized Doctrines. Supplement with the Vatican list of Sayings.
    2. "Epicurus And His Philosophy" - Norman DeWitt
    3. "On The Nature of Things"- Lucretius
    4. Cicero's "On Ends" - Torquatus Section
    5. Cicero's "On The Nature of the Gods" - Velleius Section
    6. The Inscription of Diogenes of Oinoanda - Martin Ferguson Smith translation
    7. A Few Days In Athens" - Frances Wright
    8. Lucian Core Texts on Epicurus: (1) Alexander the Oracle-Monger, (2) Hermotimus
    9. Plato's Philebus
    10. Philodemus "On Methods of Inference" (De Lacy version, including his appendix on relationship of Epicurean canon to Aristotle and other Greeks)
    11. "The Greeks on Pleasure" -Gosling & Taylor Sections on Epicurus, especially on katastematic and kinetic pleasure.

    It is by no means essential or required that you have read these texts before participating in the forum, but your understanding of Epicurus will be much enhanced the more of these you have read.

    And time has also indicated to us that if you can find the time to read one book which will best explain classical Epicurean philosophy, as opposed to most modern "eclectic" interpretations of Epicurus, that book is Norman DeWitt's Epicurus And His Philosophy.

    Welcome to the forum!


    Hi Cassius and to the rest of the forum.

    Thank you for your welcome note and all the information, particularly on the reading list that you have given.

    I am most definitely human. Singularity has not affected me yet. I read a book 'Tending the Epicurean Garden' by Hiram Crispo a few years ago and that drew me to reading more about Epicurus and the Tetrapharmakos. I work as a Medical Herbalist and Ancient Greece was the basis of some of the teachings on the history of medicine at university, the self and the concept of health that I have studied. Epicurus appeals to me as the first who abandoned superstition in his teachings, which is particularly pertinent to health and well-being and freedom to explore healthy choices for yourself and the community. I find the little that I have read about him and his teachings exactly what we are missing in our modern world - accurate definitions of pleasure and pain and how they should be experienced and viewed, lack of community and simplicity. All these things are key to our health and the lack of them are increasing anxiety.

    As you can tell, I'm not a scholar of Epicurus, I originally trained and worked in Psychology, but simply wish to increase my understanding of his readings and how this can benefit my understanding and practice of herbal medicine and the concept of health and what we are 'told' it means and what it meant to Epicurus.

    If I'm not suitable for the group, please feel free to delete me. I found you by accident on a web search into the tetrapharmakos. Otherwise, I shall endeavour to begin with some of the texts you have recommended.

    Many thanks, Nicola.

    Quote from Nico Lab

    I am most definitely human. Singularity has not affected me yet.

    As you can tell, I'm not a scholar of Epicurus, I originally trained and worked in Psychology, but simply wish to increase my understanding of his readings and how this can benefit my understanding and practice of herbal medicine and the concept of health and what we are 'told' it means and what it meant to Epicurus.

    Many thanks, Nicola.

    Welcome! With all the bots online, I'm sure Cassius was just being cautious. :) I'm new here myself and have found the forum welcoming, intellectually stimulating, good-humored, and fun! Rest assured, I don't believe any of us are "scholars" here but amateurs in the literal sense. Epicurus himself claimed to be self-taught so we're following in his (big) footsteps. Your background and training should prove helpful and interesting.

    Hope your stay here is a pleasurable one!

    Welcome indeed Nicola, and thank you for posting! Over the last month, strangely enough, we've been getting new registrations using names similar to "antivirus software" products, and when I saw "Nico Lab" that sounded kind of similar ;) We look at and welcome every new member individually, so that's how your welcome got customized with that "post or out!" remark ;)

    You sound like a great addition to the forum so thanks for adding yourself. Please look around and post in or on whatever topics interest you. No question is too basic because that's how we do things here - talking to others about details and issues is the best way to learn things for ourselves.

    Again - welcome!

    Thank you, Cassius and Don :) - Cassius I wish I did have more anti-viral properties at this point in time! I totally understand wanting to double check everyone, and it makes for a familial, interactive forum.

    I'm really enjoying reading through the information, forums and familiarising myself with the material available. I'm looking forward to reading more this weekend and appreciate your welcome message and encouragement.

  • Cassius March 13, 2020 at 7:15 AM

    Changed the title of the thread from “Welcome Nico Lab - If You Are Human, That Is!” to “Welcome Nico Lab!”.

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