Welcome ResponsiblyFree!

Thank you for your posts ResponsiblyFree. I suspect a significant number of users here would find these materials to be of interest, so thank you for posting them. I feel obliged to post a caveat here that I haven't read them and this is not an endorsement of them. We don't want to let modern politics create division within the forum, so please everyone keep that proviso in mind. Discussion of commentary on Epicurus by historical figures such as Marx, Nietsche, assorted libertarians, and other figures who may also have a political side are generally ok, but arguments that imply that Epicurean philosophy would provide general support for specific political positions of today's left, right, or middle are beyond the scope of what we are here to discuss.

I took the time to make several comments about the article, which I posted here where they can be better found for the future, In general I found the article to be very good, but it has caused me to take the time to update an older thread with more comments about its choice to focus on the tetrapharmakon. I am hoping this will give us an opportunity to bring some new eyes to bear on the history of that text.

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RE: Diving Deep Into The History of The Tetrapharmakon / Tetrapharmakos

I note that the material forwarded by @ResponsiblyFree referenced here uses the Tetrapharmakos as an organization model. I am adding this post to an earlier thread to expand discussion.

The article under review correctly cites the Tetrapharmakos as coming from Philodemus. It's not - as I need not repeat, but will - stated in this form by Epicurus himself, or by Metrodorus, or by Hermarchus, or by Diogenes of Oinoanda, or by Lucretius, or by any other recognized authority on Epicurus.

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Cassius

February 1, 2023 at 11:49 AM

Quote from ResponsiblyFree

I am hoping you can trust your community to maturely self-control to the extent of being able to discuss what writings of Epicurus would support

Yes I think we are able to handle it -- and just to be clear, I personally think that everyone should take a personal interest in and even to a degree engage in contemporary politics, given how much it affects our daily lives. The issue for the forum is mainly practical -- we have a huge job to do to help reconstruct and resurrect the key points about our place in the universe, and issues of politics are so divisive that we set up the forum with the idea - and have continued it over time - that the bigger issues have to come first, and if we get individually divided on modern politics we'll never succeed in dealing with the more "transcendent" issues. There are too few of us as it is to risk division on subjects that aren't absolutely necessary to the understanding of the key doctrines. Understanding them is hard enough -- applying them to politics needs to be more individual if we are to achieve our mission.

I am not sure I can promise to be able to attend these specific meetings but if I can I will and I would encourage anyone here on the forum who is interested to do the same. I had better state the caveat that I have read enough to be comfortable with how you would present Epicurus yourself, but the part of the presentation from a "conservative, christian" viewpoint I couldn't recommend unless someone were specifically interested in pursuing debates about that. But I don't mean that too negatively - it's just a matter of budgeting time. Some of my best thoughts about Epicurus come when I am hearing someone with whom I disagree.

Concerns have been expressed to me that the posts since RE: Welcome ResponsiblyFree! may violate more than just the 'No-politics" rule.

Also implicated are our rules against promoting non-Epicurean philosophies, as well as the possibility that the term "Creative Withdrawal" violates the general position of the forum that Epicurus did not advocate asceticism or "living in a cave."

I think best for the time being that it's best to leave the thread but close it except for admin edits while we take further review steps. This is a good opportunity for us to review forum rules and try to be sure that we apply them evenhandedly.

Those are linked in the statement sent to all new members:

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This forum 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.

EDIT 030123: For the same reasons mentioned above I have moved several posts on my wall from RF to this location, where they will all be together. Please remember that the following statements and links are those of Responsibly Free and are not endorsed by me or this forum.

Cassius, I just read your last comment in our thread on my posts inviting all to attend our Tutorial Session 13.Epicurus and Ethics (Creative Withdrawal), to quote:

“The possibility that the term “creative withdrawal” violates the general position of the form that Epicurious did not advocate asceticism or “living in a cave”.”

You are misunderstanding Chapter one “The Refuge Of Philosophy— Epicurus And Friends” from the book “A Harmony Within-Five Who Took Refuge” by William A. Reinsmith, if you interpret this to mean “asceticism or living in a cave”. Reinsmith clearly does not mean anything like that when writing on Epicurus. Please go read it and you will correct this misunderstanding. Hope to see some of you on Fri, Sat, or Sun.

Oh, forgot. Here are the 3 videos we will watch, part or all of, so you can view them ahead to see if they are acceptable:

Here are our videos in the order we will view them:

1.PHILOSOPHY – Epicurus The School of Life. 5:24

2.The Philosopher of Pleasure | EPICURUS Einzelganger 11:11

3.Epicurus and the Good Life The Academy of Ideas. 8:07

ALSO:

Hello Cassius and all Friends of Epicurus, this is Jack Carney in New Zealand, a member of your community who does not visit often and who is a friend of an active member, Martin Huehne.

I present a free, and hopefully, freeing Tutorial, The Philosophy of Responsible Freedom on an online, ongoing basis weekly (Fridays and Saturdays 9PM; and Sundays, 9AM—New Zealand time), which Martin attends. I use videos from the Academy of Ideas and our Session 14 is Epicurus and Ethics

I extend an invitation to all here to join us on any or all of the 3 offerings as I would value having the comments of your community.

Go here for Zoom joining URLs and details:

My email: responsiblyfree@protonmail.com

You do not have to email me to join.

Please pass this invitation on to all members as the more the merrier.

I look forward to your contributions as we enter the Tumbler Of Great Ideas.

“It is good to rub and polish our brain against that of others.” Montaigne

Jack