Posts by Eikadistes

Here we go!

Baby animals, an emphasis on 'superstition' instead of 'Skepticism' and, also, I plopped Plotinus on the Creator for for 'Divine Illumination'.

Here's the first panel with some minor edits.

1. I finally hit the 'to' preposition!
2. 'Abstractions' is better than 'Conceptions'
3. I added 'at birth' in the first description. (Note: all of the cartoons of animals are actually baby animals that seem much older now that they have the heads of male philosophers. We could consider removing the heads and using the cartoon baby animals).
4. On the second description, I changed 'Winds of Skepticism' to 'Desert of Superstition', with the intention of making the 'Winds', 'Storm', 'Illumination', and 'Valley' all part of the same wasteland.

I'll correct Panel 2 and 3 on grammar and verbiage. I think you're right that the first panel should include a line "at birth" to emphasize the grounding in biology.

I wasn't sure how to communicate the opposing philosophies in a linear narrative ('Winds...', and 'Valley...' and the 'Mountain...') other than how they visually fit together. Topically, like you mention, any one of them can come first, and follow, or precede each other in no particular order. The linear nature makes it seems like 'If You Give An Epicurean Skepticism, He'll Turn Into a Platonist, and Then Become a Virtue Ethicist.' I'm not sure if it was the best way to go, but it at least fits in the narrative of the story.

Maybe I can textually reinforce this idea that the 'Winds' come from, or lead to the 'Storm' which precipitates from the 'Mountain', all features that distract from the 'Garden', in no particular order?

Here's a squared version of both panels:

I'm still missing the word "to" in the second description. I'll fix that on a later update.

Most recent update to Panel 1:

The two big things I did are to have (1) generalized the language of the fifth, 'Stoic' description, and (2) added Lucretius' head, (since I was in need to an extra!).

Here's the updated full rendering:

This is really weird. I keep uploading the correct, updated file, but the image I see is just a repeat of the old one.

I'll try this again (it's working OK on the Facebook thread).

I think THIS should work.

)

Wait, that one isn't right. Hang on...

Here we go.

Check out these changes for the 'First Panel'. We have (1) a unique, less developed garden with little animals, (2) the pitfalls of the journey populated with Epicurus' opponents, (3) additional pig images that show his emotional journey, (4) a Grim Reaper as one of the 'mirages', and (5) a much enlarged Father Creator in the back.

I tweaked a few things this morning.

I wonder if the simple emphasis on the title, and de-emphasis on the obstacles and competing philosophies will help things.

I've been going back-and-forth, trying to decide if I want to include the word "Epicurean" in the title, or if it would be sufficient to stamp a 'Society of Epicurus' emblem on it.

I want to make it known that this is the allegory of a philosophical school with specific historical implications, but also, I don't want that to make it inaccessible in any way to anyone turned off by philosophical names and words with which they are not already familiar. Some people may take "Epicurean" to mean cuisine or gluttony, so, if I leave the word off of the image, it reinforces the idea that the 'path to pleasure' is for everyone, and not just Epicurean initiates.

I'm open to suggestions, though. Nothing is set in stone.

Also, here's a better First Panel:

Here's the better Second Panel

:

Yeah, the second slide for sure needs an animal to walk along the path. I may have a few with different Epicurean heads as dogs and pigs. I have a stock now of bodiless philosophers that I can put on there.

All right, folks.

I'm getting close to feeling good about a finished product.

From these last two images, I'll make minor physical adjustments, and I am TOTALLY OPEN to re-writes.

I think I've got the perfect flow. I'll make a few different images that will have a clear, linear, arrow-pointing, 1-2-3 flow to them.

1. Animals are born in the the Garden of Pleasure, birds circling above, within the center of the Atomic Oasis.

2. Over time, we get misdirected by the Winds of Skepticism into the Desert of Superstition.

3. We become scared and confused in the Stormy Dialectic, fleeing from thunderous bolts of Divine Illumination.

4. Completely lost into endless, dry plains, we begin to hallucinate icons and symbols in the arid Valley of Mirages.

5. We then see the Mountains of Virtue in the distance, and strain our bodies trying to climb them.

6. Aching, cold, thirsty, craving nurishment, we follow a preconceived inclination to correct our painful experiences.

7. An animal called 'Sensation' distantly sees the colorful gardens, hears sounds of life, and visually follows a stream flowing from the mountains.

8. An animal called 'Preconceptions' remembers the circling birds from youth, and anticipates the oasis by following new birds above.

9. An animal called 'Feelings' (maybe a blind animal) judges that the stream flowing from the mountain is pleasant, and so feels their way home.

10. Ultimately, the animals find their way back into the Garden of Pleasure by trusting (and cultivating!) their natural wisdom.

Here's where my brainstorm has lead (v 5.0)

To summarize the layout, here's a rudimentary drawing of general placement.