Posts by brett

On average Sunday for me would work best but maybe we rotate to give folks the chance for input.

Nice! I like this. I would very much enjoy a weekly communal discussion.

Excellent! That makes SO much sense to me.

one last addition: while all of what I said is true of my current situation, in the future my financial circumstances could change and that very same situation could contribute to pain for me if I chose to undertake it even though I couldn't afford it, or it was my only mode of transportation, etc. There's certainly a relativity to the status of events as contributing to or depriving me of pleasure.

Thanks for following me down this path. It's helping me get a firmer grasp on Epicureanism.

Brett

Let's say I have a 1974 VW Super Beetle that I LOVE to work on (All true). I tore the engine apart to the last bolt last summer. It was a PAIN IN THE BUTT. I tore up my knuckles, made some costly mistakes, and swore a lot. But in the end, I had SO MUCH fun and enjoyment working with my friend to get it back together, running like a top, and even boosted it to a record shattering 80 horsepower!..:-)

It seems to me that Epicurus would applaud my work on this car as contributing to my happiness. Sure, I had my fair amount of pain, but it was very pleasurable to do.

If I had, however, dipped into my 401k, emptied my savings, or took food off the table for my family, this joyful enterprise could have been just the opposite. In that case, it would have been a pleasure with a significant mixture of present and future pain. What I found enjoyable would have contributed to significant future pain for me and my loved ones.

Sure, I didn't NEED to undertake this enterprise, certainly not a necessary or really natural need, but it was something that i loved doing and added pleasure to my life.

Brett

YES! Well said. I was just reading the full cup post. Looking forward to other's thoughts also.

Thanks

hi all,

Been following the FB thread today and it got me thinking about the difference between happiness and pleasure.

I generally take happiness to be a state of absence of mental disturbance and the presence of contentment or pleasure. I generally take pleasure to be a positive feeling in body or mind. One can be happy without being in a state of bodily pleasure, but not without some sort of mental pleasure. Not sure that jives with an epicurean understanding of pleasure and/or happiness.

Curious the thoughts of others.

Best

Brett

Thanks Hiram !

Would be very informative for the novices among us (me me me) and could provide ample fodder for more conversations. Perhaps first run through could codify a study guide of sorts for future groups/individuals working through the text.

Makes me wonder if a ‘book club’ with Skype chats would appeal to anyone? It would interest me.

Started it today and am 30 pages in. Really well written and incredibly informative. I’ll post any questions as I have them.

Thanks jbaker! I will start reading DeWitt immediately. I’ll also work through the curriculum you posted. Many thanks

I was 'afraid' you'd say that! I so wished it was in electronic format, but I'll just have to spring for the hard copy.

thanks Cassius.

Without being overly snarky, I'm quite shocked at the level of ignorance of Dougall. I fear it's endemic of broad and shallow learning. It's exactly why I left academia. No offense but my peers were far more worried about being published than having something worth publishing. Philosophy in modern academia has no interest in 'healing'.

In my elementary understanding, Epicurus specifically said that NOT satisfying some pleasures (and enduring some pains) is necessary for lasting pleasure. In other words, some pleasures shouldn't be satisfied since their satisfaction will bring pain.

Glad my spidey sense was right on the article.

LOL! What's funny (not so funny really) is that if I were ignorant about its non sequitors, I might have been turned off from Epicureanism. Much of the 'philosophy and...' series of books is vapid and pandering (and one of my very good friends from college is a regular writer in that series...sorry friend.)

hi all,

I've been a casual reader of Epicurus' PD's and Vatican sayings since I was introduced in undergrad philosophy 20 years ago. However, interacting with this group, both here and on FB, has shown me that I've been missing SO much in my cursory readings and that Epicureanism is the lost home I've been yearning for.

With that in mind, what is the FIRST book I should read? I'm very well versed in philosophical arguments (minored in logic in undergrad and started but never finished a MA/PHD in philosphy), so I'm open to more dense readings. Perhaps there's an Epicurean reading program someone could point me to.

Thanks,

Brett

hi all,

I ran across this article a while ago. While much of it seemed fairly accurate(to my novice eyes at least), I was immediately struck by how 'wrong' it seemed to say that Epicureanism leads to the hobo life.

https://philosophynow.org/issues/98/Epic…m_The_Hobo_Test

If I'm learning anything, it's that pleasure is the highest good and necessary and natural desires (housing being one) are important to ensuring the future happy state.

Mr. Dougall seems to have created charicature of Epicureanism that comes off a bit insulting for it's naivete.

Thoughts?

Brett

THANK YOU for doing this. This exchange was very helpful to me (I'm Brett Wheat btw)

For what it's worth, I completely agree with the direction away from Facebook. I find it a very challenging environment to have meaningful interaction and then be able to review meaningful threads post facto. In fact, this AM I was trying to save all the responses to my question about work stress and was very frustrated.

Looking forward to learning more and hopefully providing meaningful input myself as I do.

Best,

Brett

Thanks for the welcome. Happy to be here and looking forward to contributing.

Brett