Episode 265 - The Deep-Set Boundary Stone - Epicurus and The Perils of Applying the Principles of Geometry to Ethical Philosophy

Welcome to Episode 265 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 Epicurean texts, and we discuss how Epicurean philosophy can apply to you today. If you find the Epicurean worldview attractive, we invite you to join us in the study of Epicurus at EpicureanFriends.com, where we discuss this and all of our podcast episodes.

This week we have a special episode in which our podcaster co-host Joshua will give a talk entitled "The Deep-Set Boundary Stone - Epicurus and The Perils of Applying the Principles of Geometry to Ethical Philosophy." This talk was given on January 19, 2025, as part of our first EpicureanFriends Livestream. We'll link the slideshow presentation in the show notes to this episode, but you can view it anytime at EpicureanFriends.com by clicking on the "Featured Videos" link at the top of our website.

Next week we'll be back with a regular Lucretius Today episode. Until then, enjoy Joshua on the topic "The Deep-Set Boundary Stone - Epicurus and The Perils of Applying the Principles of Geometry to Ethical Philosophy."

In the introduction to today's video I mention this episode from Carl Sagan's "Cosmos" series:

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Carl Sagan's Cosmos Episode Seven "Backbone of the Night" - Good Summary of Problems with Plato

If you have not seen this episode of Cosmos, this one - Episode Seven - has a great deal of good material that is supportive of the general Epicurean position and very critical of Pythagorean and Platonic idealism. It has been a long time since I watched it and if someone watches it again it would be good if we could make note of some time stamps in the thread below. I seem to remember that Sagan talks approvingly of Democritus but may largely skip over Epicurus, but this is from distant…

Cassius

January 24, 2023 at 6:57 PM

Episode 265 of the Lucretius Today Podcast is now available: "The Deep-Set Boundary Stone - Epicurus and The Perils of Applying the Principles of Geometry to Ethical Philosophy.". This episode features a presentation by Joshua.

For a slideshow version of this talk, click the "Featured Videos" link on our home page.

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In the process of putting together this episode I listened to Joshua's presentation several times, and i want to repeat how good I think it is. If you missed it on the livestream, be sure you catch this podcast version. it's a very deep subject, and to some extent it's easier to absorb if you focus on loistening to what is being said in the quotations, especially to those from Plato and from Lincoln near the end of the episodes. Joshua as talked about some of these themes in the past but I think this presentation brings them together in a way that really drives them home. So thanks again Joshua!