May 5, 2025 - First Monday Epicurean Philosophy Zoom - Agenda

    UPDATED announcement:

    Hi Everyone, Coming up next Monday on May 5th at 8pm ET, is our First Monday Epicurean Philosophy Discussion - open to all forum members!

    Agenda:

    - Welcome and round-the-table greetings

    - Discussion facilitated by Cassius - Updated discussion topic will be on this forum thread:

    Post

    Why pursue unnecessary desires?

    Hey folks!

    I’m getting stumped on something that previously I felt I had a firm grasp on: Why pursue (natural) unnecessary desires, if necessary desires are all that are needed for happiness? If the limit of pleasure is the absence of pain (ie. 100% pleasure 0% pain), aren’t unnecessary desires merely variation?

    I recall the ‘cup’ infographic. One of the examples of a “bad” cup is one that is half full, in which only necessary desires are pursued - a cup of asceticism. I can acknowledge…
    Rolf
    May 2, 2025 at 12:41 PM

    Note on how to attend: If you have not previously attended a First Monday, or have been absent from the forum for a while, let us know (here in this thread) if you are interested so we can add you to the meeting link private message which will go out the day before the meeting.

    Hope to see you there! :)

    Coming up this next Monday is our "First Monday Epicurean Philosophy Discussion" via Zoom. This is open to all forum members and is a great way to meet and discuss with others who are also studying the philosophy of Epicurus.

    I will be giving a very short presentation on Epicurean canonics.

    Updated! Discussion topic has been changed to this thread.

    There will also be time for questions on any aspects of Epicurean philosophy, and so we hope to see some of our newer members join.

    If you have not previously attended, please let us know if you are interested here in this thread. Hope to see you there! :)

    Important Update! First Monday is tommorow evening, and we are changing the topic of discussion to this thread:

    Post

    Why pursue unnecessary desires?

    Hey folks!

    I’m getting stumped on something that previously I felt I had a firm grasp on: Why pursue (natural) unnecessary desires, if necessary desires are all that are needed for happiness? If the limit of pleasure is the absence of pain (ie. 100% pleasure 0% pain), aren’t unnecessary desires merely variation?

    I recall the ‘cup’ infographic. One of the examples of a “bad” cup is one that is half full, in which only necessary desires are pursued - a cup of asceticism. I can acknowledge…
    Rolf
    May 2, 2025 at 12:41 PM