Updating Of EpicurusToday.com

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.

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    As many of you know I have been working to consolidate many of the materials referenced here at EpicureanFriends.com which are currently scattered over a number of URLs.

    I have revamped the existing EpicurusToday.com website to serve as a clearinghouse for those. EpicurusToday is a flat-file static website which is much easier to backup and restore in the event of hosting issues. Curating these materials there should serve as a good backup (and not at all a replacement) for EpicureanFriends.com.

    Many broken links and half-written pages remain, but the new structure should already be useful in its current state. Please note that over time EpicurusToday.com will become the main URL for host for the side-by-side editions of Diogenes Laertius, Lucretius, Torquatus, and Velleius. Earlier "handbook" URLs will ultimately be retired, but they will remain online for the foreseeable future:

    Of equal importance is the new "Topical Outline of Quotations." There is much more work to do on that, but it's already useful:

    Please comment in this thread with any bug reports of broken links or other issues. I do not plan to implement a comment system at EpicurusToday but I will link heavily to EpicureanFriends where we can collaborate on site improvements.

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    These are very useful! It did occur to me just now, though, that part is generally a higher order of classification than section--book -> part -> chapter -> section -> subsection--but I don't know if it's really worth fixing. As always Cassius thank you for the work you put into this stuff!

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    Thanks Joshua. I have more work to do on that so I will incorporate that as I revise the outline. It's difficult getting it working right on all screen sizes so if someone runs into a problem please let me know and Claude and I will adjust it!

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    Quote from Bryan

    On a side note, I love young Epicurus in a spacesuit -- and it really is a fully appropriate image. THANK YOU!!!

    It's certainly not the only way - but it is one way - to emphasize that Epicurean philosophy applies to everyone, that each of us gets old and eventually dies, and that we want the pleasure while we are alive of thinking that we are helping those who will come thereafter.

    We write wills and do many other things to make sure that happens:

    Fr. 3

    Quote

    Having already reached the sunset of my life (being almost on the verge of departure from the world on account of old age), I wanted, before being overtaken by death, to compose a [fine] anthem [to celebrate the] fullness [of pleasure] and so to help now those who are well-constituted. Now, if only one person or two or three or four or five or six or any larger number you choose, sir, provided that it is not very large, were in a bad predicament, I should address them individually and do all in my power to give them the best advice. But, as I have said before, the majority of people suffer from a common disease, as in a plague, with their false notions about things, and their number is increasing (for in mutual emulation they catch the disease from one another, like sheep) moreover, [it is] right to help [also] generations to come (for they too belong to us, though they are still unborn) and, besides, love of humanity prompts us to aid also the foreigners who come here. Now, since the remedies of the inscription reach a larger number of people, I wished to use this stoa to advertise publicly the [medicines] that bring salvation. These medicines we have put [fully] to the test; for we have dispelled the fears [that grip] us without justification, and, as for pains, those that are groundless we have completely excised, while those that are natural we have reduced to an absolute minimum, making their magnitude minute.

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    Quote from Cassius
    Quote from Bryan

    On a side note, I love young Epicurus in a spacesuit -- and it really is a fully appropriate image. THANK YOU!!!

    It's certainly not the only way - but it is one way - to emphasize that Epicurean philosophy applies to everyone, that each of us gets old and eventually dies, and that we want the pleasure while we are alive of thinking that we are helping those who will come thereafter.

    We write wills and do many other things to make sure that happens:

    Fr. 3 ...

    I am of the few who would say that Epicurus would not engage in spaceflight.

    Just for fun I asked Google AI: In 2026, what are the odds that an astronaut will die?

    Google response:

    There's no precise "odds" for an astronaut death in 2026, but risks are managed with strict safety standards (like NASA's 1 in 270 crew loss target) against known dangers like radiation, while new threats like space debris increase overall risk, though specific mission fatality is unpredictable. While overall spaceflight is safer now, risks remain significant, with factors like space junk and radiation increasing long-term health concerns and potential mission dangers as exploration expands.

    Key Factors Influencing Risk

    • Space Debris: A growing concern, with studies predicting increased chances of debris falling through busy airspace, posing indirect risks, notes K8 News.
    • Space Radiation: A major long-term health hazard, increasing risks for cancer and other issues, especially for deep space missions, according to NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) and NIH.
    • Health Impacts: Zero gravity weakens bones and muscles, potentially leading to kidney stones, notes PIX11.

    Safety Measures & Targets

    • NASA's Commercial Crew Program: Aims for a 1 in 270 loss-of-crew figure, a standard met by SpaceX and Boeing, says SpaceNews and Business Insider.
    • NASA's General Standard: Limits astronaut exposure to a 3% risk of death from radiation, according to NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS).

    Overall Perspective

    • Spaceflight has become safer over time, but remains inherently risky, with past missions having higher statistical risks, reports NBC News.
    • While specific odds for 2026 aren't calculable, increased space activity and planned deep space missions mean constant risk assessment, with potential for unforeseen incidents, according to Space.

    ** 1 in 270 - is per mission

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    Quote from Kalosyni

    Just for fun I asked Google AI: In 2026, what are the odds that an astronaut will die?

    The odds an astronaut will die are 100% - just like anyone else.

    We all die, but some of us want the maximum pleasure we can get out of life before we do!

    And for some of us, the life of an astronaut would lead to maximizing pleasure.

    The texts are very clear - the Epicurean goal of life is "pleasure," not "tranquility" or "the avoidance of all pain at any cost."

    That latter is Hieronymus, not Epicurus.

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    And to be fair, the failure rate for sea journeys in ancient Greece was also abysmal. Protagoras, Zeno of Citium, and Aristippus were all shipwrecked, and a young Julius Caesar was captured by pirates. I'm sure there are many more such stories!

Finding Things At EpicureanFriends.com

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