sanantoniogarden's outline

    My Epicurean Outline

    1. The universe is material. Nothing supernatural occurs in it.

    - Matter consists of arrangements of particles and these particles move in space

    - Gods do not exist as the many believe them to exist

    Gods do not create, hate, love, punish, feel jealous, feel angry etc.

    - The soul/spirit/consciousness does not survive after death


    2. Knowledge consists of sensation, anticipation and feeling. A tripod of truth

    - sensation being the external data gathered by our senses

    - anticipation being the inborn data that exists before experience (something akin to a natural cultural consciousness)

    - feeling being the impetus behind choice and avoidance (pleasure and pain)


    3. The goal of life is to live pleasurably. Both Physically and Mentally. (aponia and ataraxia)

    -the things which lead to pleasure are good and easy to acquire

    -where there is no disturbance, (mental or physical) we are in pleasure

    -one should moderate expectations and measure out a path to maximize pleasure, neither too much, nor too little. Not all pleasures are equal, not all pains to be avoided.

    -friendship is crucial to a pleasurable life

    -honesty and frankness are essential in friendship and in general interactions

    Be safe.

    Very nice sanantoniogarden

    This part brings up some questions:

    Quote from sanantoniogarden

    one should moderate expectations and measure out a path to maximize pleasure, neither too much, nor too little.

    "moderate expectations" - this sounds like telling yourself not to expect too much which would be a different sentiment compared to something like "live within your means".

    "neither too much, nor too little" - this sounds like a rule that is based on an idea of finding the middle, however there are times in which one might choose something that appears to other people to be "too little" or "too much" and this would occassionally be chosen because it brings good results in a particular situation (based on pleasure vs. pain in a particular situation). Also, sometimes in low-risk situations we might do something which appears to be "too little" or "too-much" just to experience what sensations come with those choices (sort of a testing out the waters) and as a learning experience, which helps us understand our individual sensations and what brings pleasure both in the short term and in the long term.