Open Invitation Epicurean Zoom - Every Wednesday 8:30pm ET, beginning May 11th

    Hi Everyone,


    Our new hour long Zoom event "Open Invitation Epicurean Zoom" is starting this Wednesday 8:30pm! Please let us know by responding in this thread or in a private message to either me or Cassius if you would like to attend.


    We are calling it "Open Invitation" -- as we are also opening it up to folks on Facebook (using Eventbrite for registration for Facebook members).


    This is what we will be doing:

    Format:


    (1) Welcome: We'll go "around the table" and let each participant identify themselves as they wish, hopefully including a reference to their background and level of interest in Epicurus.


    (2) Thought For The Week: Each week we will take one of the Principal Doctrines (and when we finish those, proceed to the Vatican List of Sayings) and we will have someone read the saying followed by commentary by a couple of our regulars to set the stage for further discussion. We'll then open the floor to comments by other participants (using the "raise hand" method and/or the text chat to raise an issue). We'll continue that discussion for as long as it goes but plan to cut that off around the 40 minute mark.


    (3) Special Event: At the forty-minute mark we will shift to the special focus of the week, and this week will be:

    Living As An Epicurean in the Modern World - food/cooking, nature/gardening, movies/music, or other hobbies as these relate to creating pleasurable living.


    (4) Closing Wrap-Up - The Program coordinators will thank those who have participated and make concluding comments about what has been discussed, and what we can expect for next week (each week will have a different focus, and how people can communicate and coordinate their study of Epicurean philosophy in the meantime.

    No doubt there is going to be a "shakedown" period where we figure out what works best, but Kalosyni and Scott and Joshua and Martin have been very good about all sorts of suggestions and I think we have a good core to launch this as a new initiative. I hope those who have not attended in the past will consider attending and adding it to their routine. No preparation necessary, no video necessary, no recording -- no pressure of any kind - just an opportunity to "socialize."

    Sounds interesting, but I think I'm going to just stick with the 20th's when I can. That said, I sincerely applaud what you're trying to do in creating a more "regular" online Garden gathering. I'll look forward to hearing how it goes! I would say "Good luck!" but Βραχέα σοφῷ τύχη παρεμπίπτει "Only a little does Chance creep into the sage's life." :)

    I hope to attend, dependant on work commitments considering the time difference between US ET and Sydney time

    Hi Everyone,


    Here are some important logistics for tonight's Zoom:


    We will be admitting people into the Zoom meeting based on the following:


    1) forum names we recognize from previous Zoom meetings


    2) those who have registered from Eventbrite (people from Facebook or non-forum members)


    3) or forum members who have "registered" by messaging Cassius beforehand with your intended Zoom name.


    If you are a forum member you do not need to use Eventbrite, but please message Cassius beforehand with your Zoom name.


    The Zoom link for the meeting is posted in our calendar:

    Event
    Epicurean Philosophy Zoom Gathering - Wednesday 8:00 PM Eastern Time

    About This Event:


    This Zoom meeting is open to all Level 3 members of our forum.

    (If you are not already Level 3, please message Cassius or Kalosyni to find out how you can become a Level 3 member).



    This is an ongoing Zoom-based online "live" discussion group meeting every Wednesday evening.

    Starting February 2023, we will be adding in discussion on developing materials for a college level "Epicurean for a Week" program/guidebook. We will also have discussion on each week's most recent…
    Wed, May 11th 2022, 8:30 pm-9:30 pm
    Cassius


    Tonight we will begin with Principle Doctrine 1, if you are interested in reading various translations, check out Nate's compilation:

    File
    KURIAI DOXAI, a Compilation of Translations by Nathan H. Bartman (2021)
    This compilation contains 150 years worth of English translations of the "Key Doctrines" of Epicurus.
    Nate


    Looking forward to seeing you tonight!

    Kalosyni thank you for posting that update and especially the link to Nate's list of alternate translations. Have those in front of us when we discuss each one is a very good idea.

    Not a problem, thanks for letting us know, I'll let Cassius know in case he hasn't seen this message yet.

    By my count we had eight people - meaning three visitors in addition to our regulars. We spent most of the first half hour just introducing outselves (which should not take so long in the future) and then we spent the rest of the hour discussing principle doctrine one from Nate's compilation.


    We need to set up threads for each meeting to be sure we cover any topics that people want to ask about. What else do we need to do to enhance the experience?

    Yes it was a good meeting!


    I think we might need to decide on a maximum number of people, because having a fun interactive discussion will work best with, maybe, no more than 13 people (that means the facilitator plus 12 more = 13).

    Having too many people is a good problem to have - much better than the reverse.


    We ought to consider various ways to be sure that everyone gets to participate while at the same time making sure that the time spent is "quality" and we don't get sidetracked or have only a few have time to speak.


    I think we found out last night that by having everyone introduce themselves, then say something in closing, and then try to involve everyone in the brief discussion of the principal doctrine, we consumed a full hour just with the eight people who were there.


    Maybe one option is to balance Wednesday with the purpose of the Sunday session - (1) make the Sunday session weighted a little more toward "the regulars" discussing the chapter before we open the floor to discussion and (2) weight the Wednesday session more explicitly for question/answer and discussion, with maybe some of all of the topics pre-set so people will know what to expect.


    A lot depends on how many people attend, and we probably need to be willing to adjust the format on the spot each night to account for the number of attendees.


    According to the Mcgilivray article the texts indicate that inviting people to the 20th was a major way of introducing newer people. IMHO we don't have the luxury or situation to do that only once a month - there is too much lost ground to make up, too many challenges to getting started with regular activities, and at the same time the technology available to us makes the whole thing much easier.


    I hope people will throw out any and every idea that comes to them. A key part of the picture is that everyone doesn't need to do everything - I am beginning to get stretched a little thin myself. People can set up new projects with new project leaders at any time. A large part of the purpose of this forum is to make that kind of coordination and assistance easier.


    We need ideas for formatting and conducting the meeting (such as agendas, telling people to use the "raise hand" to speak, asking them to type in the chat window, etc......) that will make them more productive.


    It's already obvious that we have a time zone issue, and that it would be logical and desirable for there to be geographic groups by continent and over time more local to have the most convenient time for everyone. Today we've got maybe ten people in the world who are available to participate in something like this, but over time the goal (for someone) ought to be meetings like this by time zone, eventually state, region, etc. There doesn't need to be - and shouldn't be eventually - any kind of central planning.

    Just a thought: With all the new meetings, I'd suggest trying to make the 20th "special" and not just *another* online meeting. That date is literally the connection to the Ancient Epicurean community. I don't have any ideas currently on making it special, just raising the point for discussion.