Welcome Dlippman!

REMINDER: SUNDAY WEEKLY ZOOM - January 11, 2026 -12:30 PM EDT - Ancient text study and discussion: De Rerum Natura by Lucretius - Level 03 members and above -- Line 127 - read the new update.

    Welcome dlippman

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    Please say "Hello" by introducing yourself, tell us what prompted your interest in Epicureanism and which particular aspects of Epicureanism most interest you, and/or post a question.

    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 and associated Terms of Use. Please be sure to read that document to understand our ground rules.

    Please understand that the leaders of this forum are well aware that many fans of Epicurus may have sincerely-held views of what Epicurus taught that are incompatible with the purposes and standards of this forum. This forum is dedicated exclusively to the study and support of people who are committed to classical Epicurean views. As a result, this forum is not for people who seek to mix and match Epicurean views with positions that are inherently inconsistent with the core teachings of Epicurus.

    All of us who are here have arrived at our respect for Epicurus after long journeys through other philosophies, and we do not demand of others what we were not able to do ourselves. Epicurean philosophy is very different from most other philosophies, and it takes time to understand how deep those differences really are. That's why we have membership levels here at the forum which allow for new participants to discuss and develop their own learning, but it's also why we have standards that will lead in some cases to arguments being limited, and even participants being removed, when the purposes of the community require it. Epicurean philosophy is not inherently democratic, or committed to unlimited free speech, or devoted to any other form of organization other than the pursuit of truth and happy living through pleasure as explained in the principles of Epicurean philosophy.

    One way you can be assured of your time here will be productive is to tell us a little about yourself and your background in reading Epicurean texts. It would also be helpful if you could tell us how you found this forum, and any particular areas of interest that you already have.

    You can also check out our Getting Started page for ideas on how to use this website.

    We have found over the years that there are a number of key texts and references which most all serious students of Epicurus will want to read and evaluate for themselves. Those include the following.

    "Epicurus and His Philosophy" by Norman DeWitt

    The Biography of Epicurus by Diogenes Laertius. This includes the surviving letters of Epicurus, including those to Herodotus, Pythocles, and Menoeceus.

    "On The Nature of Things" - by Lucretius (a poetic abridgement of Epicurus' "On Nature"

    "Epicurus on Pleasure" - By Boris Nikolsky

    The chapters on Epicurus in Gosling and Taylor's "The Greeks On Pleasure."

    Cicero's "On Ends" - Torquatus Section

    Cicero's "On The Nature of the Gods" - Velleius Section

    The Inscription of Diogenes of Oinoanda - Martin Ferguson Smith translation

    A Few Days In Athens" - Frances Wright

    Lucian Core Texts on Epicurus: (1) Alexander the Oracle-Monger, (2) Hermotimus

    Philodemus "On Methods of Inference" (De Lacy version, including his appendix on relationship of Epicurean canon to Aristotle and other Greeks)

    "The Greeks on Pleasure" -Gosling & Taylor Sections on Epicurus, especially the section on katastematic and kinetic pleasure which explains why ultimately this distinction was not of great significance to Epicurus.

    It is by no means essential or required that you have read these texts before participating in the forum, but your understanding of Epicurus will be much enhanced the more of these you have read. Feel free to join in on one or more of our conversation threads under various topics found throughout the forum, where you can to ask questions or to add in any of your insights as you study the Epicurean philosophy.

    And time has also indicated to us that if you can find the time to read one book which will best explain classical Epicurean philosophy, as opposed to most modern "eclectic" interpretations of Epicurus, that book is Norman DeWitt's Epicurus And His Philosophy.

    (If you have any questions regarding the usage of the forum or finding info, please post any questions in this thread).

    Welcome to the forum!

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    Dear Good People

    I've been a long-time listener of Lucretius Today and have greatly enjoyed the podcast. I'm an internal medicine physician and currently serve on the Board of the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine, which promotes six key pillars for chronic disease prevention: nutrition, physical activity, sleep, avoidance of risky substances, stress management, and social connection.

    I find it fascinating that the ancient debate between Aristotle and Epicurus continues today in modern medicine—particularly in positive psychology's focus on Eudaimonia (Aristotle) vs Hedonia (Epicurus). Interestingly, several studies suggest Hedonia may offer more tangible mental health benefits—such as reduced anxiety, depression, and improved sleep—especially in times of stress.

    For example, this recent 2024 study concludes: “An orientation toward pleasure may be the path to achieving mental health in the midst of stressful circumstances.”

    https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5318/5/4/47#:~:text=The%20results%20showed%20that%20hedonia,;%20eudaimonia;%20stress;%20mental%20health

    Despite this, many in medicine still emphasize Eudaimonia—perhaps overlooking the direct and observable benefits of Hedonia, which simply asks: What brings you joy, and how can you do more of it without harming others? In contrast, Eudaimonia often demands sacrifice for abstract ideals that may or may not bear fruit.

    Finally, if you asked any physician today whether they believe in atoms, the answer would be yes. Yet Democritus and Epicurus arrived at this truth long ago by observing nature without preconception. In contrast, Plato and Aristotle imposed human judgment onto nature—giving us forms and essences, paths we now see as philosophically problematic.

    Thanks again for your work—it continues to inspire thoughtful reflection. And most importantly, it's useful!

    David

    Quote from dlippman

    I find it fascinating that the ancient debate between Aristotle and Epicurus continues today in modern medicine—particularly in positive psychology's focus on Eudaimonia (Aristotle) vs Hedonia (Epicurus). Interestingly, several studies suggest Hedonia may offer more tangible mental health benefits—such as reduced anxiety, depression, and improved sleep—especially in times of stress.

    Welcome to, dlippman


    I too was a longtime LT podcast listener. So it’s an extra treat to see the faces on Zoom calls of the voices you’ve listened to from Cassius , Joshua , Kalosyni , and many others on LT recordings.


    Regarding the different usages of the term “eudaimonia” by Aristotle and Epicurus, you should enjoy reading some of the papers by Christos Yapijakis (active medical professor teaching in Athens).

    Quote

    In the 4th century BCE, Aristotle of Stagira, son of physician Nicomachus, used the observation method of clinicians and spoke plainly about the unity of body and soul, grounding his ethical theory in human biology and becoming the first philosopher to speak extensively of eudaimonia (εὐδαιμονία, a blissful, prolonged, imperturbable state of happiness). Following the empirical observation method and the biological ethics of Aristotle, Epicurus the Athenian in the beginning of the 3rd century BCE considered philosophy as a means for a dynamic healing of the soul aiming at developing eudaimonia and dealt with the psychosomatic balance of human beings, which he called eustatheia (εὐστάθεια, stability) of the flesh and soul. While for Aristotle eudaimonia was the emotional action of a virtuous person, for Epicurus eudaimonia was a pleasurable condition in which there is no mental agitation (ἀταραξία, ataraxia) and no corporeal pain (ἀπονία, aponia). It is worth mentioning that Aristotle believed that the eudaimonic life is pleasant, because the virtuous person enjoys acting virtuously,8 while Epicurus proposed that a happy life cannot be achieved without virtue.9


    Epicurean Stability (eustatheia): A Philosophical Approach of Stress Management

    C. Yapijakis & G. P. Chrousos

    Conatus 7, no. 2 (2022): 173-190 DOI: https://doi.org/10.12681/cjp.31769


    Christos Yapijakis

    National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece

    E-mail address: cyapi@med.uoa.gr


    George P. Chrousos

    National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece

    E-mail address: chrousge@med.uoa.gr

    Patrikios

    Quote from dlippman

    I find it fascinating that the ancient debate between Aristotle and Epicurus continues today in modern medicine—particularly in positive psychology's focus on Eudaimonia (Aristotle) vs Hedonia (Epicurus).

    In addition with the problem of abstract ideals that you mentioned, I suspect that at least part of that debate still revolves around the question of what "happiness" really means. Just like "Virtue" being hard to define, it's much easier to understand happiness as pleasures predominating pains (each term broadly defined), than it is to try to itemize exactly what qualities "happiness" divorced from pleasure would really mean, or why they should be pursued.

    Again great introduction and thank you for the kind words about the podcast.

    This week's isn't going to be ready to post for several days, but we're entering a section of Tusculan Disputations that brings the Epicurean objections to the positions taken by Stoics and others on many emotional questions into sharp focus.

    Quote from Cassius
    Quote from dlippman

    I find it fascinating that the ancient debate between Aristotle and Epicurus continues today in modern medicine—particularly in positive psychology's focus on Eudaimonia (Aristotle) vs Hedonia (Epicurus).

    In addition with the problem of abstract ideals that you mentioned, I suspect that at least part of that debate still revolves around the question of what "happiness" really means. Just like "Virtue" being hard to define, it's much easier to understand happiness as pleasures predominating pains (each term broadly defined), than it is to try to itemize exactly what qualities "happiness" divorced from pleasure would really mean, or why they should be pursued.

    Again great introduction and thank you for the kind words about the podcast.

    This week's isn't going to be ready to post for several days, but we're entering a section of Tusculan Disputations that brings the Epicurean objections to the positions taken by Stoics and others on many emotional questions into sharp focus.

    Cassius,

    Thank you so much for the personal response. I look forward to the Tusculan Disputations!

    Thank you for this great information!

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