Search Results

Beautifully written Kalosyni. Clearly you are a very talented writer and that is greatly needed to advance this project!

Just a couple of notes: (Quote from smoothiekiwi) It is not necessary, certainly, but it surely is desirable, and there's no reason not to work toward it. (Quote from smoothiekiwi) Certainly ataraxia - which I would prefer to simply go ahead and translate as "absence of disturbance" is an important concept, just as is absence of pain. It is interesting that you are linking it to "independence from external events" more than the literal absence of disturbance. This is indeed where I would argue t…

(Quote from SimonC) (Quote from SimonC) I agree with everything you wrote. At the same time, we have the direct statement that almost amounts to a command, in the sense that it is clear that any prudent Epicurean is going to follow it: PD27. Of all the things which wisdom acquires to produce the blessedness of the complete life, far the greatest is the possession of friendship. So at the same time we face these hurdles that KW and SC have stated, we have to take action in our own lives to accomp…

In the context of targeting atheists or any other group I would say this: I am not aware of anyone who can fill the "charismatic" shoes that SK referenced earlier, but part of what we are missing is a coherent message packaged in an attractive form (the honey on the rim) that can serve as the centerpiece of discussion for any group that comes together in an initial meeting. Whenever a group of strangers comes together on ambiguous terms, something has to be done to immediately "take charge" of t…

I see the potential format being something much more like a Rotary Club, which in my mind is a group that meets for a meal, hears a presentation on a topic of common interest, but really serves as more of a meet and greet occasion where people can find each other as potential friends who might be interested in talking to each other and doing things between meetings as well. Possibly there are other groups that meet regularly that we could productively talk about as examples. There's the obvious …

I am thinking also that if I were to convene a meeting this weekend at some convention, I would have one of those large standup posters made with the quote that is currently on the top of the home page as a verbal summary of how things all fit together and what to expect in the discussion over time. (Quote)

(Quote from smoothiekiwi) Only one I have time to comment on now is this one: As usual with Aristotle I think he's sounding grand without being suspicous. What IS your potential? Just like "what IS happiness?" Aristotle evades giving an answer to those questions, or simply hints that you should follow virtue or what noble Athenians do. I think Epicurus might say that your "potential" is not being the best student you can be, but living a happy life based on what is pleasurable to you. Now study …

Don makes good points about being precise, but I often fall into stating it the way you do SK. So this is one of the good things about the forum - we can learn to be precise while deciding exactly the point we want to make, because I think Don is very much with us that a life of total contemplation might or might not be hypothetically the one some of us would choose, but as with the Bliss machine hypotheticals, is not practical for most any of us. There is an Epicurean saying about taking risks …

(Quote from Don) Yes, and the key world there is "including" -- which is different from what some modern commentators seem to allege when they convert Epicurean philosophy into "Tranquilism" - with calmness as the highest good of life. Also, I should clarify that when I seemed to admit the possibility that someone might choose a life of contemplation as their highest good, I was trying only to make the theoretical point that there's no absolute single definition of how to experience pleasure as …

(Quote from smoothiekiwi) He was clearly wrong, but I don't think that "naive" is warranted. He had very specific epistemological reasons for his view point based on observing objects at a distance here one earth, and he was also concerned about the use of mathematecs to allege that the sun and other stars are gods. Exploring that further belongs in another thread, but I wanted to make a note on this. Also, as to Martin's post above, which I agree with, I think the big picture point on all of th…

That's a great list and we need to refer to it every time the size of the sun issue comes up. I added it into the FAQ.

(Quote from Godfrey) The old guys strike again. I still remember when that came out, and how much I liked it, and how disappointed I was when the Eagles changed their lineup and their music format. You're right peaceful easy feeling does need an entry in our music list. But I hace to say back then I was probably partial to "Already Gone." Songs the Kalosyni and most of our people here have probably not heard! Note:. My gosh, after relistening to "Already Gone" I am immediately struck by the conn…

Of Course! VS47. I have anticipated thee, Fortune, and I have closed off every one of your devious entrances. And we will not give ourselves up as captives, to thee or to any other circumstance; but when it is time for us to go, spitting contempt on life and on those who cling to it maundering, we will leave from life singing aloud a glorious triumph-song on how nicely we lived. Sort of what you would say to the grim reaper when he comes looking for you: But me, I'm already gone And I'm feelin' …

(Quote from Titus) I shudder to check some of my old writing sometime. Hopefully it's still useful, but I continue to learn a lot every day.