LATEST LUCRETIUS TODAY PODCAST: Episode 326 - "Who Cares About Infinite Divisibility? And Why?" | Website Overview | Forum Navigation Map | Latest Blog Post: Not a Bunker But A Camp - Epicurean Engagement With Society
Recent Activities
-
Cassius
March 31, 2026 at 9:29 PM Replied to the thread Article: Not A Bunker But A Camp: A Response To “The Garden or the Forum”.PostAt the moment I don't have much more to say about the specifics of labeling, but I do want to share a recent conversation elsewhere which has greatly influenced my thinking on this subject. For those who don't follow the link here's the thumbnail:
… -
TauPhi
March 31, 2026 at 8:14 PM Replied to the thread Article: Not A Bunker But A Camp: A Response To “The Garden or the Forum”.Post[…]
I still think the content of the article is very good. Nothing has changed and I have no criticism in this regard whatsoever.
I retract my praise for the article because I was misled to think you wrote it which is not entirely the case. As I said… -
Cassius
March 31, 2026 at 7:17 PM Replied to the thread Article: Not A Bunker But A Camp: A Response To “The Garden or the Forum”.PostNote -- In order to appreciate the context of Tau Phi's post 14, this earlier post is essential context.
Tau Phi I will think you have adequately stated your position as to any AI in this thread here. If you have some substantive criticism of the article… -
TauPhi
March 31, 2026 at 6:34 PM Replied to the thread Article: Not A Bunker But A Camp: A Response To “The Garden or the Forum”.PostUnfortunately, I have to retract my praise for this article as I found out it was AI assisted creation. Cassius , please add information about AI usage in your publications when AI is used. Signing such creations with your name only is misleading as… -
Patrikios
March 31, 2026 at 5:43 PM Replied to the thread Good and Bad Desire and Doubt In Epicurean Philosophy.Post[…]
Cassius
Here is likely one of the few points that we may not see the terminology and human biological processes in the same way. So, with great respect I question the blanket categorization implied by this statement.
When you use the term “sexual… -
Cassius
March 31, 2026 at 3:20 PM Replied to the thread Discussion of Blog Article - "Reality Does Not Require Being Eternally The Same".PostThank you Dave let me be clear as to the organization of the articles and address what some no doubt are wondering:
In these two articles I have taken my draft outline as well as prior articles I've written on these topics and input the mix to AI to help… -
DaveT
March 31, 2026 at 2:44 PM Replied to the thread Discussion of Blog Article - "Reality Does Not Require Being Eternally The Same".PostFirst off, this was such a well written piece in its structure, clarity and logic. I'm jealous of the style you have exhibited in constructing this as well as the recent review of Massimo Pigliuci's essay. This is really good writing. My only critical… -
Cassius
March 31, 2026 at 2:05 PM Replied to the thread Discussion of Blog Article - "Reality Does Not Require Being Eternally The Same".PostMartin it looks to me like I mention Kant once in the article, in a sentence that is focused on rejection of the senses:
[…]
I don't see that sentence as significantly a problem for the article's credibility. Of all the murkiness that surrounds Kant his… -
Martin
March 31, 2026 at 12:45 PM Replied to the thread Discussion of Blog Article - "Reality Does Not Require Being Eternally The Same".PostIt should be made clear that the article is rather against Plato's idealism. Putting Kant in the same bucket as Plato is wrong because Kant removed the ideal forms and Plato's nonsense that reality is truthfully revealed only by the logic of philosophers… -
Cassius
March 31, 2026 at 10:28 AM Commented on blog article Reality Does Not Require Being Always The Same.Comment (Blog Article)Discussion for this blog article will be here:
Discussion of Blog Article - "Reality Does Not Require Being Eternally The Same" -
Cassius
ThreadMarch 31, 2026 at 10:27 AM This will be the discussion thread for the blog article "Reality Does Not Require Being Eternally The Same" -
epicureanfriends.com/wcf/blog/entry/69/ -
Cassius
March 31, 2026 at 10:24 AM Wrote the blog article Reality Does Not Require Being Always The Same.Blog ArticleThis post is also available on Substack.
One of the deepest and most consequential divisions in the history of philosophy runs not between optimism and pessimism, or between free will and determinism, but between two fundamentally different answers to a… -
Julia
March 31, 2026 at 8:22 AM Replied to the thread Use Of The Term "Metaphysics" In Discussing Epicurus.PostThe introduction of Warren's Cambridge Companion On Epicureanism says its chapters entitled "Epicurean atomism", "Cosmology and meteorology", "Psychology", and "Action and responsibility" are the ones which discuss "the major subject areas" of "physics… -
Cassius
March 31, 2026 at 7:24 AM Replied to the thread Use Of The Term "Metaphysics" In Discussing Epicurus.PostI presume that the terms physics and metaphysics were available in both Greek and Latin, and the original Epicureans and then later the Romans could have established patterns of when to use each in discussing Epicurean philosophy.
[…]
If anyone has an… -
Julia
March 31, 2026 at 4:26 AM Replied to the thread Use Of The Term "Metaphysics" In Discussing Epicurus.Post[…]
If I may?
"Nevertheless, she [Epíkouros’ school] has withdrawn the Dialectic [and] rejects it for want of qualification; for they suppose the [study of] natural [phenomena] provides [the proper] space for the voices of the facts." from Eikadistes' own… -
Joshua
March 31, 2026 at 2:22 AM Replied to the thread Use Of The Term "Metaphysics" In Discussing Epicurus.PostThe thing is, even Aristotle's Physics could be described as a text on metaphysics according to the modern meaning of that term. Both words, physics and metaphysics, had each of them one meaning in antiquity, and have both of them quite another meaning… -
Cassius
March 31, 2026 at 12:39 AM Replied to the thread Use Of The Term "Metaphysics" In Discussing Epicurus.PostThis search of "metaphysics" at B&N does bring up what seems to be a majority of technical philosophy books, such as by Heidegger, but also some religion, and I see one on "Tarot." Glancing over the titles reminds me that to the extent I would have been… -
Cassius
March 31, 2026 at 12:26 AM Replied to the thread Use Of The Term "Metaphysics" In Discussing Epicurus.Post[…]
Sounds like you have a particular reference in mind there Eikadistes? -
Cassius
March 31, 2026 at 12:25 AM Replied to the thread Use Of The Term "Metaphysics" In Discussing Epicurus.Post[…]
Thanks for that reminder. Now that you say it, I think over the years that's where I sense a strongly negative vibe from the word. It seems to be usable in philosophy in a more neutral way, but I'm concerned about how "normal people" interpret it. … -
Eikadistes
March 31, 2026 at 12:13 AM Replied to the thread Use Of The Term "Metaphysics" In Discussing Epicurus.PostIt's slippery, and I avoid using it altogether.
I've heard pretentious scientists use "metaphysics" as a slur to belittle the discipline of philosophy, and I've heard academics use "metaphysics" as a badge of honor to belittle physical science. Barnes &… -
Cassius
March 30, 2026 at 7:37 PM Posted the thread Use Of The Term "Metaphysics" In Discussing Epicurus.ThreadIn several conversations recently, including with Martin on one of our recent Zooms (if I recall correctly) and others here privately on the forum, the question has arisen as to whether it would be better to refer to Epicurus' study of nature as… -
Eikadistes
March 29, 2026 at 10:12 PM Replied to the thread Welcome Page259!.PostThanks, I've got it covered.
-
TauPhi
March 29, 2026 at 8:04 PM Replied to the thread Welcome Page259!.Post[…]
Haha. It's official then. EpicureanFriends site has every resource on Epicurean philosophy in the universe. Including missing pages from books in form of its members!
Eikadistes I can see on your web site that you managed to find the missing English… -
Cassius
March 29, 2026 at 7:22 PM Replied to the thread Welcome Page259!.PostThat IS Weird! I have no idea why.... -
Eikadistes
March 29, 2026 at 6:08 PM Replied to the thread Welcome Page259!.Post... weirdly, I am missing page 259 in my copy of Obbink's translation of On Piety, which includes an English translation of column(s) 77A/77B, and after scouring the web, was lead here... -
Cassius
PostMarch 29, 2026 at 4:27 PM I'll post separately that it might seem that the title of this thread and terms like "downward causation" are technicalities irrelevant to day to day life. However I'd posit that having a conceptual model of how complex systems like human beings emerge… -
Cassius
ThreadMarch 29, 2026 at 3:22 PM In today's Zoom and also podcast this issue was discussed as a result of David Sedley's article "Epicurean Anti-Reductionism." The basic concept as I understand it it likely this:
Epicurus would have understood just as we do today that it is not intuitive… -
Cassius
PostMarch 29, 2026 at 12:19 PM Yes that video sets up the issue very well thank you! -
Kalosyni
PostMarch 29, 2026 at 10:16 AM -
Cassius
ThreadMarch 28, 2026 at 10:29 AM Welcome to Episode 327 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
March 28, 2026 at 7:01 AM Replied to the thread New "TWENTIERS" Website.PostGot it.
For anyone curious as to what we're going on about, here's the end of the manuscript where the title is ...
ΦΙΛΟΔΗΜΟΥ
ΠΡΟCΤΟΥC
(end of papyrus torn off)
Idiomatically then, all we have extant is:
By Philodemus
Against The/Pertaining to the/According… -
Eikadistes
March 28, 2026 at 4:57 AM Replied to the thread New "TWENTIERS" Website.Post -
Don
March 27, 2026 at 10:42 PM Replied to the thread New "TWENTIERS" Website.Post[…]
https://papyri.info/dclp/62437
You can look at the engravings for each page at the link.
[…]
What made you decide on "Comrades"? My understanding is that there is no noun in the title, just ΠΡΟΣ ΤΟΥΣ... -
Eikadistes
March 27, 2026 at 6:12 PM Replied to the thread Travel Video - Ancient Acropolis and Agora.PostThat was nice to watch. Thanks! -
Cassius
March 27, 2026 at 4:58 PM Replied to the thread Article - David Sedley - 1988 - "Epicurean Anti-Reductionism".PostThese are very relevant points Dave and I think about them all the time. Here's my current view.
[…]
I don't think I am violating the no-politics rule by observing that the world is on the brink of WW3 and I would say that a major reason is that most of… -
Cassius
March 27, 2026 at 4:35 PM Replied to the thread Episode 326 - EATAQ 08 - Who Cares About Infinite Divisibility? And Why?.PostEpisode 326 of the Lucretius Today Podcast is now available. This week our episode is entitled: "Who Cares About Infinite Divisibility? And Why?"
[media]https://www.spreaker.com/episode/70936642/media -
Kalosyni
March 27, 2026 at 3:37 PM Replied to the thread Travel Video - Ancient Acropolis and Agora.PostHere's a fun and short travel video in Greece (and they have done other places in the world too).
m.youtube.com/watch?v=GUVshaiJn9I -
DaveT
March 27, 2026 at 3:35 PM Replied to the thread Article - David Sedley - 1988 - "Epicurean Anti-Reductionism".Post[…]
I understand your point of view. On the other hand I see progress away from the monarchical God and church appointed governments of the last 250 years. No longer do we accept conquest in the name of god's command to subjugate the earth.
I think there… -
Cassius
March 27, 2026 at 12:43 PM Replied to the thread Article - David Sedley - 1988 - "Epicurean Anti-Reductionism".Post[…]
Probably that's the cruc of the issue. There's a wide variety of people here with different backgrounds and interests, but this is primarily a forum for the promotion of Epicurean philosophy, not for philosophy generalists (not placing you in that… -
DaveT
March 27, 2026 at 12:09 PM Replied to the thread Article - David Sedley - 1988 - "Epicurean Anti-Reductionism".Post[…]
Cassius, your suspicion is quite incorrect as well as your conclusion. I do think my posts relating to Sedley's interpretations, indeed Lucretius' interpretations and arguments of Epicurus' beliefs need to be balanced and kept in context much better.
… -
Eikadistes
March 27, 2026 at 8:49 AM Replied to the thread New "TWENTIERS" Website.PostThere's a link to the full transcription of P.Herc. 1005 in the annotations of that page. -
Kalosyni
March 27, 2026 at 7:36 AM Replied to the thread New "TWENTIERS" Website.PostEikadistes Thank you for your work on the Philodemus text! I see over at your link (the Twentiers website), there is this symbol used in the text:
[...]
...which is used when parts of the text are missing. Does the source text give any indication of how… -
Kalosyni
March 27, 2026 at 7:28 AM Replied to the thread VS14 - "Occupied" vs. "Without Allowing Himself Leisure.".Post -
wbernys
March 27, 2026 at 2:08 AM Replied to the thread Welcome J.Tycherne!.PostHello j.tycherne ! Happy to see someone who loves the letter to Menoceus as much as i do, and you're right to love the parts rejecting belief in fate, a belief which does nothing but inflict pessimism and misery on the hearts of mankind. I do my best… -
Martin
March 27, 2026 at 1:42 AM Replied to the thread Welcome J.Tycherne!.PostWelcome J.Tycherne! -
Godfrey
March 26, 2026 at 10:58 PM Replied to the thread Article: Not A Bunker But A Camp: A Response To “The Garden or the Forum”.PostVery well thought out and on point essay Cassius . I was actually quite surprised while reading Pigliucci's essay that he so thoroughly misreads Epicurean philosophy. His essay reads more as Ciceronian snark than as serious scholarship. At any rate,… -
Eikadistes
March 26, 2026 at 8:16 PM Replied to the thread New "TWENTIERS" Website.PostI took a swing at To the Comrades by Philódēmos (P.Herc. 1005). Don did a great job here, and besides our attempts, I'm not familiar with any publications that contain the bulk in English. I'll continue polishing my attempt at a translation for what… -
Eikadistes
March 26, 2026 at 8:13 PM Replied to the thread P.Herc. 1005 from Les Epicuriens (A First Draft Translation).PostI just re-visted this and found some additions!
Nothing major, but I notice there's a fun reference to the "half-gods" or "demi-gods" (Fragment 96) and a few allusions to Leonteús throughout. Several times, as well, I notice the thrice-repeated phrase… -
Cassius
March 26, 2026 at 5:04 PM Replied to the thread Article - David Sedley - 1988 - "Epicurean Anti-Reductionism".PostDave, the answer to both of your questions seems to me to be pretty much the same. These things are not "totally subjective" nor are they "just brain chemistry." As the article is discussing, emergent properties like the mind's actions are not… -
DaveT
March 26, 2026 at 3:17 PM Replied to the thread Article - David Sedley - 1988 - "Epicurean Anti-Reductionism".Post[…]
Please explain how: "That is philosophically powerful ammunition against the modern dismissal ....as 'merely subjective'". Doesn't each person experience those things based on their own subjective physical and mental state?
Also, please explain how…
News And Announcements
-
- Title
- Replies
- Last Reply
-
-
-
-
- Replies
- 0
- Views
- 332
-
-
-
-
-
- Replies
- 0
- Views
- 335
-
-
-
-
-
- Replies
- 0
- Views
- 288
-
-
-
-
-
- Replies
- 0
- Views
- 363
-
-
-
-
-
- Replies
- 8
- Views
- 1.1k
-
January 11, 2026 at 7:02 PM
-
-
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.