About This Event:
This Zoom meeting is open to all Level 3 members of our forum.
(If you are not already Level 3, please message Cassius or Kalosyni to find out how you can become a Level 3 member).
This is an ongoing Zoom-based online "live" discussion group meeting every Wednesday evening.
Starting February 2023, we will be adding in discussion on developing materials for a college level "Epicurean for a Week" program/guidebook. We will also have discussion on each week's most recent episode of the Lucretius Today Podcast (currently covering an overview of Epicurean philosophy, based on the format of Norman DeWitt's Epicurus and His Philosophy).
These hour-long Zoom meetings are part of an on-going effort to provide new opportunities to promote the philosophy of Epicurus and support Epicurean community building. We encourage regular participation as a way to build friendships with others who are also interested in the study of the philosophy of Epicurus. Through our discussion we will also begin to develop new study material and new ways to apply the philosophy to real life. Feel free to drop in as much or as little as your schedule allows.
Each meeting will open with introductions and an brief opportunity for open discussion before we dive into the focus material (see the format description below).
We encourage you to listen to each of the podcasts beforehand, but it isn't an absolute requirement -- we will have the show notes and a quick review of important points posted onto each podcast thread. This should still make it possible to participate in discussion even if you have not had time to listen. You can always find the most recent shows by clicking here: The Lucretius Today Podcast
Some of those who will be joining will be using the full video call features of Zoom, and others will be using voice only, so the use of video is optional. This Zoom discussion will not be recorded.
Ground Rules
- Our objective is to provide friendly and encouraging discussion among friends and new attendees who are generally supportive of the philosophy of Epicurus. This is not a professional academic philosophy group for debate of philosophies or viewpoints that are not consistent with Epicurean philosophy. We also have a "no-politics" rule, so please do not bring up modern political issues of any kind. We are also unable to address clinical depression or emotional disorders. Our participants are not experts in any field, and all conversations are understood to be friendly and informal exchanges of opinions.
- We expect participants to conduct themselves in a friendly manner. Participation does not express or imply that you agree with every tenet of Epicurean philosophy, but the purpose of the group is to study and discuss Epicurean philosophy. Please do not attempt to use the group for the promotion of religious, political, or philosophical viewpoints that are not consistent with Epicurean philosophy. Those who fail to follow this rule and violate it repeatedly will lose participation privileges.
- Communications in the group are confidential and are not to be recorded or repeated outside the group. The group is based in the United States and will not allow or promote any conduct that is illegal under the laws of the United States. We cannot guarantee the privacy of any communications, but to the extent that we determine that conversations have been recorded or re-posted outside the group, or the privacy of any participant has been invaded, violators will lose future participation privileges.
----This Zoom Meeting is Open to Level 3 Forum Members---
*Sign-up is Required for First Time Attendees So We Can Send You The Meeting Link*
If you are already a Level 3 forum member but have not previously attended, please private message Kalosyni, or post your request to join in the weekly announcement corresponding to the day you wish to join. You will then be sent a Zoom link in a private message, which will be sent out no later than 30 minutes before the start of the meeting.
Format
We plan to limit each meeting to about an hour, and we will focus on general discussion. Detailed expositions of philosophical points are best expanded in writing on the forum. Formats may change over time, but each week we will follow essentially this pattern:
(1) Welcome: We'll go "around the table" and give an opportunity for each participant to introduce themselves as they wish, describe their background in Epicurus, and suggest any topics for later discussion that may be on their minds.
(2) Focus for the Week: Each week we will discuss a recent Lucretius Today podcast. We will have someone present a recap of the episode, including an outline, and this will be followed by questions and comments from our regulars to set the stage for further discussion. We'll then open the floor to new participants (using the Zoom "raise hand" method of the chat box, as appropriate).
---- Here is a link to the Lucretius Today Podcast posting page:
(3) Closing Wrap-Up - The Program coordinators will thank those who have participated and make concluding comments about what has been discussed, what we can expect for the following week, and how people can communicate and coordinate their study of Epicurean philosophy in the meantime on the forum.
We look forward to seeing you at our next Zoom meeting!