Well, I am an atheist. But this whole thing called virtue, you can't possibly live up to it. So you might as well do what you want. I mean, I don't want to cause pain for other people. I can see an issue if you have some kind of sadist who doesn't care if they are hurting others, or even enjoys it. But come to think about it, I don't think that Christianity, or Secular Humanism for that matter will stop that kind of person. I don't think commandments from a supposed god or some kind of secular moral code is going to stop them.
Posts by Patrick
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The office is going to find another psychologist for me, so if I do nothing, I will get another one. I'll be fine.
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I suffer from schizophrenia. I am not sure if I am an epicurean, but I see and hear things that are not there. My mind also constructs elaborate conspiracy theories, and I have to constantly test the things my mind is telling me, asking myself it the thing I am fearing is logical or not. Most of the time it is not. As far as hearing voices and hallucinations, I just ignore them. I was suffering from this illness in my youth, and it was untreated, which means at the time I should have been launching my career, I was researching conspiracy theories on the Internet. Consequently, my income will always be below average. My therapist just retired, and I really can't afford therapy every week, which is why I started looking into philosophy.
There are things that I enjoy. Simple pleasures. I enjoy hiking, reading, sex, eating inexpensive gourmet meals. Epicurus was against involvement in politics. I am not sure if all modern Epicureans share that opinion, but for me, since I am prone to conspiracy theories, I don't even watch the news. For a while, I was a practicing neopagan, but I don't believe in gods, so that really is not going to work out for me. I wish I had more friends, but I scared a lot of people away when I was having my psychotic episodes. When I was a neopagan, I would do these complex rituals every morning, but since I am not doing that anymore, I have time to study math and science instead. That might seem like work to some people but I actually enjoy it. An equation is like a number puzzle and I enjoy finding out the answers. I will never have that advanced degree, but at least I can help my young nephew with his math and science homework.
I am not a doctor, but I think all of this helps my brain repair itself. I do not have as many delusions or hallucinations as I did in the past. And I find that I am better able to understand the plot of books and movies better than I did when my illness was untreated. I am no longer looking for hidden messages in films, but am instead focusing on the plot. Maybe this means I miss out on some of the actual symbology that is in the films, but I just tell myself for my peace of mind, I'm not going there. I don't watch as many horror movies and books either.
I am working on getting government benefits so I don't have to work so much. I don't know what your opinion on that is, but I don't care. I am sick of working so much, and my disability could qualify me for social security benefits. I would still have to work, but not so many hours. Maybe then, I could focus more on the things I enjoy, and actually better myself.
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Hi, I will probably be more of a lurker because I am not academically inclined, nor am I a philosopher. But I was reading the DeWitt book, and I found the paragraphs where he criticized the Platonic forms to be convincing. I liked the passage where he mentioned critics of Platonism who wrote that actual horses are not real but there is the idea of "horseness" that is the real deal. I laughed out loud at that passage.
Unread Threads
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Would Epicurus say: "Infinite Time contains no more pain than limited time when the limit of pain is measured by reason?" 15
- Cassius
July 20, 2024 at 10:44 PM - General Discussion
- Cassius
July 25, 2024 at 11:01 AM
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- 15
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- 473
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The Normal Curve of Pleasure 5
- kochiekoch
July 22, 2024 at 1:28 PM - General Discussion
- kochiekoch
July 23, 2024 at 5:59 PM
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- 5
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- 311
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Emily Austin conversation rebroadcast on Next Big Idea! 2
- Don
July 23, 2024 at 9:33 AM - General Discussion
- Don
July 23, 2024 at 10:44 AM
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- 2
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- 178
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"If You Wish To Be An Epicurean, Get Used To Being Called 'Cockeyed'" - or - "Why Vatican Saying 29 Would Make A Good Epicurean Tatoo" 3
- Cassius
July 9, 2024 at 7:57 AM - General Discussion
- Cassius
July 22, 2024 at 8:43 PM
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Does PD26 imply personal responsibility beyond oneself? 4
- Godfrey
July 11, 2024 at 3:22 PM - PD 26 - Of desires, all that do not lead to a sense of pain...
- Godfrey
July 11, 2024 at 5:43 PM
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- 4
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- 402
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