LATEST LUCRETIUS TODAY PODCAST: Episode 332 - The Stoic Failure To Grasp That Judgment Never Happens In The Senses" | Website Overview | Forum Navigation Map | Latest Blog Post: "The Continuing Vitality of Epicurean Physics"
New Graphics: Are You On Team Epicurus? | Comparison Chart: Epicurus vs. Other Philosophies | Chart Of Key Epicurean Quotations | Accelerating Study Of Canonics Through Philodemus' "On Methods Of Inference" | Note to all users: If you have a problem posting in any forum, please message Cassius
Recent Activities
-
Titus
May 10, 2026 at 5:17 AM Replied to the thread Superstition Ain't the Way.Post[…]
Lol, I read "was" instead of "wasn't"
. This explains your emphasis on political/societal topics. On the other side, your text is explicitly at the beginning and in the middle part full of Epicurean thought. This might sound too doctrinal or even… -
Titus
May 10, 2026 at 4:04 AM Replied to the thread Diogenes of Oinoanda Inscription - NEW Complete Translation By MFS - March 2026.Post[…]
Do you have a recommendation how to translate this section smoothly where Ferguson instead gives "states"? (Let us first discuss states...) -
Don
May 9, 2026 at 10:34 PM Replied to the thread Diogenes of Oinoanda Inscription - NEW Complete Translation By MFS - March 2026.PostYes, Titus . Agreed.
For the record, here's the Greek for that section emphasis added):
[…]
I want to note that where Martin Ferguson Smith gives "states" in the translation, the Greek is κατασ̣τήμασι and καταστημάτων, that is… -
Eikadistes
May 9, 2026 at 8:38 PM Replied to the thread Superstition Ain't the Way.Post[…]
Not even climate change and vaccine distribution?
"...irrevocable changes to the Earth’s biosphere will lead to the displacement of 2 billion human beings and cause the deaths of hundreds of millions more..."
I feel like that one, in particular, is… -
Eikadistes
May 9, 2026 at 8:24 PM Replied to the thread Superstition Ain't the Way.Post[…]
No doubt, "This wasn't originally intended for an explicitly Epicurean audience".
The Humanist wasn't interested so now I'm sharing it here.
-
Titus
May 9, 2026 at 8:08 PM Replied to the thread Superstition Ain't the Way.PostGreat work! I especially like your approach of rendering names as they were spoken in antiquity e.g. Epicurus as Epíkouros. This adds authority to your text.
Some criticism:
[…]
I appreciate how your text ends. Conversely, in the paragraphs above you dive… -
Bryan
May 9, 2026 at 6:22 PM Replied to the thread Considering The Feelings (Pleasure and Pain) and Prolepsis/Anticipations as Sensations.PostI noticed that De Rerum Natura (2.434) speaks directly to the point of pain and pleasure being sensations. TauPhi I think this explains Epicurus' conflation of "sense as a faculty with sense as an activity."
Touch, indeed – Touch, by the holy powers… -
Titus
May 9, 2026 at 5:14 PM Replied to the thread Diogenes of Oinoanda Inscription - NEW Complete Translation By MFS - March 2026.PostAside from the introductory part where Diogenes declares his (noble) motifs, this is the section I personally like the most:
Let us first discuss states, keeping an eye on the point that, when the emotions which disturb the soul are removed, those which… -
TauPhi
May 9, 2026 at 3:52 PM Replied to the thread Diogenes of Oinoanda Inscription - NEW Complete Translation By MFS - March 2026.PostThank you, Don -
Cassius
ThreadMay 9, 2026 at 2:44 PM This week we continue on into properties and qualities of bodies and other aspects of emergence.
https://handbook.epicureanfriends.com/sbslucretius/#1-449 -
Cassius
May 9, 2026 at 2:40 PM Replied to the thread Episode 333 - EATAQ 15 - Not Yet Recorded.PostDraft Outline of this episode, We ourselves should be so lucky as to get half of this in, but the outline may be helpful to others and for the next several weeks:
Podcast Outline: Cicero Academic Questions Book 2, Sections 8-9Opening Frame (5-10 minutes)
… -
Cassius
May 9, 2026 at 2:25 PM Posted the thread Episode 333 - EATAQ 15 - Not Yet Recorded.ThreadWelcome to Episode 333 of Lucretius Today. This is a podcast dedicated to the poet Lucretius, who wrote "On The Nature of Things," the most complete presentation of Epicurean philosophy left to us from the ancient world. Each week we walk you through the… -
Don
May 9, 2026 at 12:36 PM Replied to the thread Diogenes of Oinoanda Inscription - NEW Complete Translation By MFS - March 2026.PostI'm curious to compare the arrangement of the text in the book to this:
https://papyri.info/dclp/865216?ro…tem+asc&p=0&t=0 -
Bryan
May 9, 2026 at 12:15 PM Replied to the thread Diogenes of Oinoanda Inscription - NEW Complete Translation By MFS - March 2026.PostThank you!
I did not realize that the island Smith lives on has a population of 15 to 30 people. Apparently, there is not even one store on the island. I wonder how he handles getting groceries. -
Don
May 9, 2026 at 12:09 PM Replied to the thread Diogenes of Oinoanda Inscription - NEW Complete Translation By MFS - March 2026.Post[…]
That's what I like about this March 2026 publication. It's legit from MFS himself along with his notes and intro. -
Don
May 9, 2026 at 10:07 AM Replied to the thread Sources of Texts: A Substack Bibliography.PostThe whole Untroubled Substack feed looks worthwhile to explore. I'm not sure who the author is, but he praises Emily Austin's book so
https://open.substack.com/pub/readuntrou…y-austin-living -
Don
May 9, 2026 at 9:42 AM Replied to the thread Diogenes of Oinoanda Inscription - NEW Complete Translation By MFS - March 2026.PostFYI
"Fragments of Diogenes' work were discovered in 1884-1889. Further investigations were inaugurated by Martin Ferguson Smith in 1968-1973 and continued during British and German-led surveys (1974-2017). The number of known pieces of the inscription… -
Cassius
May 9, 2026 at 9:30 AM Replied to the thread Superstition Ain't the Way.PostWow a lot of effort went into that - thanks Eikadistes! -
Cassius
May 9, 2026 at 9:28 AM Replied to the thread Diogenes of Oinoanda Inscription - NEW Complete Translation By MFS - March 2026.Post -
Don
May 9, 2026 at 8:43 AM Replied to the thread Superstition Ain't the Way.PostI look forward to digging into the text, but I really like the playlist/section titles! Well played! -
Eikadistes
May 9, 2026 at 8:38 AM Posted the thread Superstition Ain't the Way.ThreadThis wasn't originally intended for an explicitly Epicurean audience; the first two sections will likely be more of a review for anyone here. You may find the third part useful, which contains a comprehensive look at Epicurean attitudes toward death and… -
Don
ThreadMay 9, 2026 at 7:56 AM -
Don
May 9, 2026 at 7:52 AM Posted the thread Sources of Texts: A Substack Bibliography.Threadhttps://open.substack.com/pub/readuntrou…primary-sources
I came across this Substack article and it looked generally like a good list of sources, including...
https://www.tabedizioni.it/shop/product/urbi-et-orbi-2100
"Just this year (March 2026), however,… -
Cassius
May 9, 2026 at 4:05 AM Replied to the thread Happy Birthday General Thread.PostHappy Birthday to mctimkat! Learn more about mctimkat and say happy birthday on mctimkat's timeline: mctimkat -
Don
May 8, 2026 at 7:32 PM Replied to the thread Should Epicurus be viewed as a pure consequentialist, virtue ethicist, or both?.Post[…]Well said, and, as always, thanks for creating this corner of the Internet in the first place, Cassius -
Cassius
May 8, 2026 at 3:51 PM Posted the thread Stallings Translation of Lucretius.ThreadThanks to Godfrey for this info about the translator of a popular edition of Lucretius:
This showed up in my inbox:
"Poets, Painters, and the Plunder of the Parthenon" with A. E. Stallings | Getty Events
It's a live lecture but is being streamed as well. -
Cassius
May 8, 2026 at 3:46 PM Replied to the thread Should Epicurus be viewed as a pure consequentialist, virtue ethicist, or both?.Post[…]
No - I'm glad you posted. if you were thinking it it's likely others are too, so always feel free to speak up.
This goes along with Dave's question. Aside from those of us who are really into the topic there's always a general level of background… -
wbernys
May 8, 2026 at 3:07 PM Replied to the thread Should Epicurus be viewed as a pure consequentialist, virtue ethicist, or both?.PostYeah you all have convinced me, I was already a little unsure about posting this.
But yeah I'm probably letting the societal praise of virtue ethics cloud my view of these texts. To be honest the main reason I liked Epicurus was that I felt he was the… -
DaveT
May 8, 2026 at 2:21 PM Replied to the thread Should Epicurus be viewed as a pure consequentialist, virtue ethicist, or both?.Post[…]
Who are those maliciously purposed people referred to here? And what goal do you think they have in such a game?
What does Epicurus say about those individuals, as well as how one is to live a happy life among them? -
Cassius
May 8, 2026 at 1:25 PM Replied to the thread Should Epicurus be viewed as a pure consequentialist, virtue ethicist, or both?.PostI personally think this needs to be hammered home:
To me this conversation is sort of like discussing Epicurus as a "hedonist." Yes I understand that that term has a technical meaning in which pleasure is the key. However in common discussion the term is… -
Eikadistes
May 8, 2026 at 10:23 AM Replied to the thread Should Epicurus be viewed as a pure consequentialist, virtue ethicist, or both?.Post[…]
No doubt. Kant is typically represented as the prototype of a deontologist. Kant famously argued that stealing bread is categorically unethical, even if it's to feed a starving child. -
Eikadistes
May 8, 2026 at 10:19 AM Replied to the thread Should Epicurus be viewed as a pure consequentialist, virtue ethicist, or both?.PostSo long as we understand we're trying to map ancient thinkers using contemporary terminology, I'm comfortable saying that Epíkouros firmly fits within the category of consequentialism. Most philosophers we view as virtue ethicists and deontologists are… -
Don
May 8, 2026 at 9:57 AM Replied to the thread Should Epicurus be viewed as a pure consequentialist, virtue ethicist, or both?.Post[…]
I just searched for spit -
Cassius
May 8, 2026 at 9:14 AM Replied to the thread Should Epicurus be viewed as a pure consequentialist, virtue ethicist, or both?.PostThanks Don! U512 seems to be the key - with the problem of finding it being that Usener uses "honorable" and "excellence" and "noble." That makes it harder to find when I key on "beautiful," but for purposes of this particular conversation these… -
Don
May 8, 2026 at 8:55 AM Replied to the thread Should Epicurus be viewed as a pure consequentialist, virtue ethicist, or both?.Post -
Cassius
May 8, 2026 at 8:44 AM Replied to the thread Should Epicurus be viewed as a pure consequentialist, virtue ethicist, or both?.PostIt always irritates me when I can't find a quick reference
I have the "spit upon the beautiful" as Bailey's fragment 79, but I am not quickly finding the Usener number
https://www.epicureanfriends.com/wcf/lexicon/en…Uncertain-Works -
Cassius
May 8, 2026 at 8:37 AM Replied to the thread Should Epicurus be viewed as a pure consequentialist, virtue ethicist, or both?.PostFurther, even if you prefer the "beautiful" wording there (which I don't because of it's very Platonic ring) you can refer back to the adage that Epicurus spits upon the beautiful unless it brings pleasure.
As I understand it the Hicks version is "[135]… -
Don
May 8, 2026 at 7:20 AM Replied to the thread Should Epicurus be viewed as a pure consequentialist, virtue ethicist, or both?.Post[…]
To me, that section doesn't point to intention but rather taking an active role in ones choices and rejections versus not letting chance rule what happens to you. -
Cassius
May 8, 2026 at 7:03 AM Replied to the thread Should Epicurus be viewed as a pure consequentialist, virtue ethicist, or both?.PostI think you can find quotes such as the Diogenes of Oinonanda statement that talk about the importance of attitude, but why is attitude important? Why is virtue important? Because they bring pleasure, not as goals in themselves. So i'd push back… -
Don
May 8, 2026 at 4:21 AM Replied to the thread Innovations/Updates in Epicurus Philosophy.Post[…]
Well said. THAT for me is the most basic fundamental doctrine in Epicurus' physics. That's the foundation stone upon which fear of the gods and anxiety of punishment after death are dispelled. THAT'S the non-negotiable point for me. Epicurus fleshes… -
Don
May 8, 2026 at 3:56 AM Replied to the thread Innovations/Updates in Epicurus Philosophy.PostPD24 - Commentary and Translation of PD 24 On the 4th leg, I wanted to bring up this extended thread we had awhile ago on PD24 . It goes a little off track at the end, but the first part is on point
(Full disclosure: I have not read Hiram's essay linked… -
Adrastus
May 7, 2026 at 11:19 PM Replied to the thread Innovations/Updates in Epicurus Philosophy.Post[…]
I appreciate happening to catch this sentiment as I think it firmly extends the hand to folks like me who aren't scholarly or even particularly philosophical. I rarely read other philosophy, but I experience practices drawn from other frameworks, and… -
Don
May 7, 2026 at 10:49 PM Replied to the thread Considering The Feelings (Pleasure and Pain) and Prolepsis/Anticipations as Sensations.Posthttps://www.alieward.com/ologies/dolorology
Not sure where to post, but this ologies episode on pain was interesting, especially about its bio-psycho-social aspects of pain. Worth a listen. -
wbernys
ThreadMay 7, 2026 at 8:21 PM If any of you have seen the PhilSurvey, it asks a question about whether your normative ethics is consequentialist or virtue ethics or deontology. I think it's fair to say he's surely not deontology. But i struggle between putting him as a… -
Eikadistes
PostMay 7, 2026 at 8:50 AM I'll bet that reading assignments partially inform Barnes & Noble sales.
If you study philosophy, you'll probably be requested to purchase a copy of Thus Spake Zarathustra at some point in your education. Like we discussed in another thread, I never heard… -
Cassius
ThreadMay 7, 2026 at 6:27 AM This topic came up in our Zoom of 5/6/26 - whether the feelings and anticipations should be considered to be "sensations" or is that word only strictly applicable to the "five senses." Another way of asking the same question is to consider how parallel… -
Cassius
PostMay 6, 2026 at 12:51 PM The more I think about it I can't remember the last time I read a popular article on "What Thus Spake Zarathustra Means To Me."
Not faulting Nietzsche here - just agreeing with the basic observation that he is always being cited but few have any idea why… -
Brandenoz
PostMay 6, 2026 at 8:55 AM Those are some excellent points! -
Don
PostMay 6, 2026 at 8:18 AM […]
It's the moustache.
[…]
[…]
Agreed on those, too.
You can buy Nietzsche and have him on your bookshelf and make people think you're countercultural. -
Cassius
PostMay 6, 2026 at 8:01 AM I think a lot of the commercial appeal is 1 "Thus Spake Zarathustra" is a cool name, and (2) there's a market who want to say that they have read the philosopher who said "God is dead."
No doubt the people who are specialists or work hard to understand it…
News And Announcements
-
- Title
- Replies
- Last Reply
-
-
-
-
- Replies
- 0
- Views
- 459
-
-
-
-
-
- Replies
- 0
- Views
- 552
-
-
-
-
-
- Replies
- 0
- Views
- 481
-
-
-
-
-
- Replies
- 0
- Views
- 431
-
-
No entries found. Be the first to write something.
Finding Things At EpicureanFriends.com
Here is a list of suggested search strategies:
- Website Overview page - clickable links arrranged by cards.
- Forum Main Page - list of forums and subforums arranged by topic. Threads are posted according to relevant topics. The "Uncategorized subforum" contains threads which do not fall into any existing topic (also contains older "unfiled" threads which will soon be moved).
- Search Tool - icon is located on the top right of every page. Note that the search box asks you what section of the forum you'd like to search. If you don't know, select "Everywhere."
- Search By Key Tags - curated to show frequently-searched topics.
- Full Tag List - an alphabetical list of all tags.