7 Weeks With Epicurus: Self-Paced Online Program Combined with Zoom Meeting in Final Week

1. The Philosophy of Epicurus - 7 Week Online Course (Introduction to the Philosophy of Epicurus)

Join EpicureanFriends.com for a seven week study course on the philosophy of Epicurus. This is a self-paced program which will introduce you to the basics of the classical Epicurean philosophy and provide opportunities for contemplation as well as guidance for practical applications of the philosophy to modern life. Each week, for seven weeks, a new lesson plan is provided. (If we run this as a group event, during the seventh week we will hold a special Zoom meeting for all program participants for Q&A and discussion.)

Epicureanism is a complete worldview, touching on such aspects as: the nature of the world, the nature of the human soul, and the task of making prudent choices in our lives when a creator god is not involved in the world. It explains how pleasure is the motivator and guide of life, and when we use prudence for making good decisions, we can enjoy life free from fears and anxieties. It upholds friendship as an immortal good, urging us all to live a better, healthier, and happier life.

Week 1 - Epicurus and the Garden, Epicurean Historical Figures, and Extant Epicurean Texts

An overview of the historical context of Epicurus and the Garden, including historical figures and texts within the Epicurean movement.

Paper: "Where Was the Garden of Epicurus":

File

Where was the Garden of Epicurus? The Evidence from the Ancient Sources and Archaeology

While we will probably never know the exact location of Epicurus’s Garden in ancient Athens, we can take a number of educated guesses.

Don

April 19, 2023 at 11:10 PM

Who was Metrodorus?

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Metrodorus - Main Biography

"Epicurus had many disciples, but among the most distinguished was first Metrodorus, son of Athenaeus (or Timocrates) and Sande, of Lampsacus. From the time when he first came to know Epicurus he never left him, except when he went to his native city for six months, and then he came back. [23] He was a good man in all respects, as Epicurus too bears witness in prologues to his writings and in the third book of his Timocrates. Such was his character: his sister Batis he married to Idomeneus, and…

Cassius

November 20, 2023 at 2:59 PM

Week 2 - Understanding the Nature of Things: Epicurean Physics and Canonics (Alternate section title: The Nature of Things and How We Can Have Knowledge of Them)

Epicurean physics and canonics are at the foundation of Epicurean philosophy - underpinnings of the Epicurean worldview. The sources of these concepts are found within Lucretius' De Rerum Natura, and Epicurus' Letter to Herodotus & Letter to Pythocles. This section provides a brief overview.

Below you will find some useful links to get started on this section, for self-paced study.

-- Section 2.1 - Physics --

1. Article by Cassius Amicus - "Epicurean Physics"

2. Lucretius Today Podcast - Episode 259 - "Nothing Comes From Nothing"

3. Forum discussion - Physics - The Nature of the Universe

and Atoms and Void - Properties, Qualities, And Emergence

-- Section 2.2 - Canonics --

1. Article by Cassius Amicus - "Canonics – How Can I Be Confident In What I Think I Know To Be True?"

2. Lucretius Today Podcast -

3. Forum discussion - Canonics - The Tests of Truth: The Five Senses, Anticipations, and Feelings of Pleasure and Pain

-- Section 2.3 - Text Reading for Week 2 --

-- The Letter to Pythocles

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(Additional links and material to be added)

Week 3 - The Non-Involvement and Non-Supernatural Nature of God(s), No Afterlife, No Fate, and the Nature of the Soul and Death

Take a deep dive into existential contemplations as we explore the ancient Epicurean beliefs about the nature of the gods, the soul, and death. No fate and no afterlife means that we need to take responsibility for making this life the very best it can be.

Week 4 - Pleasure is the Guide of Life

Pleasure is the starting point of the motivation that nature gave to humans and every animal at birth. Pleasure is the goal to which we aim, and we must also understand the nature of pain, so that we can wisely implement choices and avoidances which lead to the best outcomes. Discover the deeper meaning of pleasure within Epicurean philosophy and this understanding can help you live the best life.

Week 5 - Justice and the Role of Virtue as a Tool

We choose our actions wisely because of the goal of pleasure, and not because we are holding to abstract ideas of "right and wrong", or duty toward religion or cultural norms. Virtue is chosen according to Epicurean principles, and as a means for the health and happiness of the body and the soul.

Week 6 - Friendship, Community, and Blissful Living

The importance of friendship and community. "So practice these and similar things day and night, by yourself and with a like-minded friend, and you will never be disturbed whether waking or sleeping, and you will live as a god among men: for a man who lives in the midst of immortal goods is unlike a merely mortal being." - Letter to Menoeceus.

Week 7 - Recap, Practice, and Zoom Discussion

A recap of the big picture and further discussion on practical applications in a group Zoom discussion. Time for Q&A with the forum administrator of the EpicureanFriends.com forum.