Recent Activities
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Matteng
January 24, 2026 at 1:26 PM Reacted withReaction (Post)
to Cleveland Okie’s post in the thread The "Suggested Further Reading" in "Living for Pleasure".Matteng I second Joshua's recommendation of The Swerve. Aside from its Epicurean interest, it is a really fun read.
If "Epicureanism in the Renaissance" is an interest for some of y'all, I would also recommend Ada Palmer's Reading Lucretius in the… -
Cassius
January 24, 2026 at 12:09 PM Reacted withReaction (Post)
to Bryan’s post in the thread Would Epicurus approve of Biblical or Quranic studies in order to confident in disproving it?.[…]
Regarding critique of form, Epicurus disapproved of the study of Homer in terms of comparative literature and analysis of poetic meter (which were very popular pastimes among the elites in his day -- elites who were not inclined to take Homer… -
Bryan
January 24, 2026 at 12:03 PM Reacted withReaction (Post) to wbernys’s post in the thread Would Epicurus approve of Biblical or Quranic studies in order to confident in disproving it?.[…]
Frances Wright for the win!
I wonder if another reason he potentially didn't try to refute poetry so much was because of the extreme religious diversity in ancient Hreece with some having very different views on Homer, who was not really seen as… -
Bryan
January 24, 2026 at 12:00 PM Reacted withReaction (Post) to Cassius’s post in the thread Would Epicurus approve of Biblical or Quranic studies in order to confident in disproving it?.By coincidence I was posting earlier about an article by David Sedley, in which he makes the point that fundamental Epicurean argument in favor of both atomism and the pleasure of ethics involves refuting claims that contradict the view that you are… -
Bryan
PostJanuary 24, 2026 at 11:59 AM […]
Regarding critique of form, Epicurus disapproved of the study of Homer in terms of comparative literature and analysis of poetic meter (which were very popular pastimes among the elites in his day -- elites who were not inclined to take Homer… -
Bryan
January 24, 2026 at 11:36 AM Reacted withReaction (Post) to wbernys’s post in the thread Would Epicurus approve of Biblical or Quranic studies in order to confident in disproving it?.Didn't really know where to put this thread.
So before I became a full fledged Epicurean I was quite addicted to academic study of the Bible and Quran. Not for religious reasons but to be confident in my own opposition to religion. When I saw things like… -
Martin
January 24, 2026 at 11:22 AM Reacted withReaction (Post) to Godfrey’s post in the thread What Is The Relationship Between "Hedonic Calculus" Analysis" and "Natural and Necessary Desire" Analysis?.Notice that Plato is discussing necessary/unnecessary pleasures, whereas Epicurus distinguishes necessary/unnecessary desires. As we've discussed elsewhere, this is an important distinction, specially since all pleasures are defined as good by Epicurus. -
Daniel188
Reaction (Post)January 24, 2026 at 5:47 AM Here's a video suggested to me by a forum participant. It's not Epicurean specifically or philosophy-oriented in general. However think the attitudes and issues discussed here would be very good to think about for anyone considering how Epicurean… -
Julia
January 24, 2026 at 4:25 AM Reacted withReaction (File) to the file "The Inferential Foundations of Epicurean Ethics" - Article By David Sedley. -
Cassius
January 24, 2026 at 4:06 AM Replied to the thread Happy Birthday General Thread.PostHappy Birthday to EricR! Learn more about EricR and say happy birthday on EricR's timeline: EricR -
Cassius
Reaction (Post)January 24, 2026 at 12:55 AM […]
Your productivity has made it difficult to keep up lately, but that is a great problem to have. This is wonderfully done! The translation and the presentation are both spectacular.
As you know, we need to do this to all the P.Hercs. The task is large.… -
Cassius
January 24, 2026 at 12:52 AM Reacted withReaction (Post) to Bryan’s post in the thread The "Suggested Further Reading" in "Living for Pleasure".[…]
This looks like good "seeing the forest through the trees" material, but we need an audio version... Looking at the whole forest is too tedious -- but it is easier to listen to the whole forest. -
Cassius
January 24, 2026 at 12:52 AM Reacted withReaction (Post) to TauPhi’s post in the thread The "Suggested Further Reading" in "Living for Pleasure".[…]
Hi Cleveland Okie . Good to hear from you.
You've read a lot of secondary material on Epicurean Philosophy already so recommending you another contemporary book would make you read the same, rehashed ideas all over again. I'll try something more… -
Martin
January 24, 2026 at 12:33 AM Reacted withReaction (Post) to wbernys’s post in the thread Fourth Sunday Zoom - Jan. 25, 2026 - Epicurean Philosophy Discussion Via Zoom - Agenda.Unfortunately I seemingly always work these times on Sunday. Hopefully I can eventually go, or maybe schedule something. Hope to see you all at some point. -
Martin
January 24, 2026 at 12:32 AM Reacted withReaction (Post) to TauPhi’s post in the thread The "Suggested Further Reading" in "Living for Pleasure".[…]
Hi Cleveland Okie . Good to hear from you.
You've read a lot of secondary material on Epicurean Philosophy already so recommending you another contemporary book would make you read the same, rehashed ideas all over again. I'll try something more… -
Martin
January 24, 2026 at 12:30 AM Reacted withReaction (Post) to Joshua’s post in the thread The "Suggested Further Reading" in "Living for Pleasure".[…]
I'm not very good about keeping up with the secondary literature, but The Swerve by Stephen Greenblatt was my main introduction to Epicureanism and I am always happy to write in his defense.
I first encountered Greenblatt's work as an under-graduate… -
Godfrey
January 23, 2026 at 11:42 PM Reacted withReaction (Post) to Cassius’s post in the thread What Is The Relationship Between "Hedonic Calculus" Analysis" and "Natural and Necessary Desire" Analysis?.[…]
Yes that's why I highlighted that point in my post above. I do think the distinction makes sense, but when I see these respected translators seemingly using the words interchangeably, here and in Tusculan Disputations, I really don't know what to… -
Bryan
January 23, 2026 at 10:17 PM Replied to the thread The "Suggested Further Reading" in "Living for Pleasure".Post[…]
This looks like good "seeing the forest through the trees" material, but we need an audio version... Looking at the whole forest is too tedious -- but it is easier to listen to the whole forest. -
Bryan
January 23, 2026 at 10:15 PM Reacted withReaction (Post) to TauPhi’s post in the thread The "Suggested Further Reading" in "Living for Pleasure".[…]
Hi Cleveland Okie . Good to hear from you.
You've read a lot of secondary material on Epicurean Philosophy already so recommending you another contemporary book would make you read the same, rehashed ideas all over again. I'll try something more… -
Bryan
January 23, 2026 at 10:15 PM Reacted withReaction (Post) to Cleveland Okie’s post in the thread The "Suggested Further Reading" in "Living for Pleasure".Matteng I second Joshua's recommendation of The Swerve. Aside from its Epicurean interest, it is a really fun read.
If "Epicureanism in the Renaissance" is an interest for some of y'all, I would also recommend Ada Palmer's Reading Lucretius in the…
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