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  • Kalosyni September 19, 2026 at 8:23 AM

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    I find this to be an interesting development regarding AI search results talking about its own use of evidence (it said that its first response overstated the evidence), as well as talking about the lack of reliabilty of a particular source (in this…

  • Cassius September 19, 2026 at 6:36 AM

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    Summary and Full Transcript:

    Continuing Book Two of Cicero’s Academic Questions, Cassius opens by explaining why the Sorites (“heap”) paradox matters to Epicurean philosophy: rejecting Plato’s ideal forms doesn’t mean abandoning useful terms…

  • SillyApe September 18, 2026 at 6:11 PM

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    Kalosyni Yes, I was thinking about the Stoics, but this also serves for any thinker who denies that pleasure is the end.

    For example, let's say someone decides they are going to "hustle" and work 80 hours a week for 5 years in order to earn a lot of…

  • Kalosyni September 18, 2026 at 5:30 PM

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    I am a bit out of the loop on this thread, but just some quick reactions off the top of my head, to focus on "what Epicureans would do"...

    […]

    "being admired" -- I don't think that Epicureans (those that truly follow the philosophy of Epicurus) spend too…

  • SillyApe September 18, 2026 at 3:33 PM

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    This kind of idea truly annoys me for two reasons:

    First, because it assumes the ancient Epicureans were some sort of fragile cowards who could not bear any discomfort(which is not true, given that Epicureanism is capable of producing some of the most…

  • Cassius September 18, 2026 at 9:53 AM

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    Lucretius Today Podcast Episode 351 is now available: "Heap Big Trouble For The Stoic-Platonic Approach To Knowledge"

    spreaker.com/episode/75208154/media

  • Kalosyni September 14, 2026 at 4:13 PM

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    I'm adding here something further with regard to the introduction of the article on the Determinents of Happiness mentioning Aristotle's definition of happiness ("Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim, and the end of human…

  • Kalosyni September 13, 2026 at 4:14 PM

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    More from the above article:

    […]

    Here is a comparison between the subcategories found in the above article, and Epicurean philosophy -- this is really a for fun and loose comparison, and brings up some interesting food-for-thought.

    (Article subcategories on…

  • Cassius September 13, 2026 at 6:32 AM

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    Yes absolutely Robert - the validity or usefulness of the term happiness (or any other term?) is dependent upon the criteria or standard or definition being given to us. And opposing philosophies and religions are giving happiness a completely different…

  • Robert September 12, 2026 at 10:32 PM

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    Cassius I'll defer to your point about it being appropriate for Epicureans to define the telos in terms of "happiness" if that term is being used in the correct Epicurean sense. I just don't want to see it used as a way to downplay ἡδονή. I have…

  • Cassius September 12, 2026 at 7:41 PM

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    Welcome to Episode 351 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…

  • Cassius September 12, 2026 at 1:07 PM

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    I've been a little distracted but here are my thoughts on the comments since I posted previously:

    There are lots of different views on what happiness means, in part because the word happiness can be used as both a feeling and a concept, just like…

  • Robert September 11, 2026 at 10:54 AM

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    The distinction between "pleasure" and "happiness" seems like it might be relevant to this conversation we're having about illusion and storytelling.

    Happiness concepts might be illusory, but a warm bowl of pho brings actual, physical pleasure (if you…

  • DaveT September 11, 2026 at 9:11 AM

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    […]

    I think it is true.

    […]

    I actually don't see how or where Epicurus would refute that both anxiety and happiness are illusions, or are illusory. I think we fool ourselves constantly both as far as fears as well as what results from our behavior in a good…

  • Kalosyni September 10, 2026 at 3:06 PM

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    […]

    No, just loosely in that if someone observes the world and starts labeling various things as "an illusion" then it creates ideas such as: "we just can't know much about the world because it is all just an illusion".

    […]

    I apologize that I'm a bit…

  • DaveT September 10, 2026 at 9:36 AM

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    […]

    Do you mean classical skepticism? How so.

    […]

    I intended to indicate anxiety and happiness can be described as illusions, not pain or pleasure.

  • Kalosyni September 10, 2026 at 8:50 AM

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    In the opening paragraph of the Letter to Menoeceus it says:

    "We must then meditate on the things that make our happiness, seeing that when that is with us we have all, but when it is absent we do all to win it."

    The article on the Determinents of Happinss…

  • Joshua September 9, 2026 at 11:04 PM

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    The links should be correct now!

  • Cassius September 9, 2026 at 5:49 PM

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    […]

    And this is one situation in which I would agree with them. Doesn't help anything for me to restate it, but this is where I find the whole deterministic-laced idea of psychological hedonism a very unproductive path and something I too do not take…

  • Cassius September 9, 2026 at 5:18 PM

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    Lucretius Today Podcast Episode 350 is now available: "Addressing A Listener Question On The Flux And Real Life"

    spreaker.com/episode/75031901/media

  • Kalosyni September 9, 2026 at 2:53 PM

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    […]

    I would guess here that the issue has to do with Platonic philosophy, and most of the time religious ideas are built on ideas of striving for absolution perfection. So the word of caution is to be wary when you are agreeing with anything that holds…

  • Kalosyni September 9, 2026 at 2:40 PM

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    […]

    I think that what is being said here in this paragraph is swinging a bit too far into skepticism. And I have quite a bit of trouble with the word "illusion"...as anything that is labeled an illusion is assumed to actually not exist.

    You still are going…

  • Robert September 9, 2026 at 2:19 PM

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    […]

    Dave, my thoughts exactly. Except you've expressed them far more succinctly!^^

  • Robert September 9, 2026 at 2:14 PM

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    […]

    I agree that the essays raise interesting questions. Like hard determinism, evolutionary psychology presents some challenges that just about any philosophical position has to respond to.

    For example, as you indicate, Stoics like Seneca and Marcus…

  • DaveT September 9, 2026 at 11:07 AM

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    […]

    Speaking frankly as Epicurus advised; I think this phrasing is not a helpful way of addressing the individual search for knowledge. Yes, evaluation of one's beliefs should be an ongoing project. Epicurus learned from Democritus on atoms, and the…

  • Cassius September 9, 2026 at 10:17 AM

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    […]

    Yes I agree that it is very helpful to engage with criticisms, and that's why we do the podcast the way we do. HOWEVER I would stress this -- we never intentionally raise an opposing argument without presenting the Epicurean response in the same…

  • Kalosyni September 9, 2026 at 8:17 AM

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    I just posted an article over in this other thread, which in my opinion is a more contructive take on key Epicurean questions: what is happiness, and what are the things which are needed to produce it.

    A Systematic Review of the Determinants of Happiness…

  • Kalosyni September 9, 2026 at 8:12 AM

    Thread
    I found this article (which may possibly already be on the forum in another thread) and thought it might be good to discuss. (Published February 2023)

    Excerpt:

    […]

    Health, Hope, and Harmony: A Systematic Review of the Determinants of Happiness across…

  • Matteng September 8, 2026 at 6:12 PM

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    Wow thanks for all your responses.

    Robert yes I have read "Why Buddhism is True" and viewed some videos.

    I like challenging articles like these; they allow one to examine and defend—or rethink—one’s own ideas and attitudes, as well as to develop…

  • DaveT September 8, 2026 at 3:57 PM

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    Following up with the second essay. I suppose I need help here. I started to read it, but my nose started itching. It itches when I think someone is just repeating the bogey man, average person as the typical human who doesn't understand the basic human…

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