Topic: Reading 'Letter to Menoeceus' by Epicurus
Anonymous A started this discussion 14 years ago #18,228
Let no young man delay the study of philosophy, and let no old man become weary of it; for it is never too early nor too late to care for the well-being of the soul. The man who says that the season for this study has not yet come or is already past is like the man who says it is too early or too late for happiness. Therefore, both the young and the old should study philosophy, the former so that as he grows old he may still retain the happiness of youth in his pleasant memories of the past, the latter so that although he is old he may at the same time be young by virtue of his fearlessness of the future. We must therefore study the means of securing happiness, since if we have it we have everything, but if we lack it we do everything in order to gain it
Can we interpret this as everyone is capable of wisdom and the ultimate objective of philosophy is happiness?
Fake anon !ZkUt8arUCU joined in and replied with this 14 years ago, 6 minutes later[^] [v] #303,937
Not doing your homework for you. THanks.
Anonymous A (OP) replied with this 14 years ago, 5 minutes later, 12 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #303,938
Anonymous C joined in and replied with this 14 years ago, 1 minute later, 13 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #303,940
@303,937 (Fake anon !ZkUt8arUCU)
Someone has been studying the means of securing grumpiness. :(
Someone has been studying the means of securing grumpiness. :(
(Edited 22 seconds later.)
stickybuns !bENfolDsOU joined in and replied with this 14 years ago, 13 minutes later, 26 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #303,953
I agree with your interpretation, OP. Epicurus places a high value and demand upon happiness. Value, as he says one who has it has everything. And demand, as he says one will do anything to gain it when he lacks it. He links this happiness to the study of philosophy, a noble field to be sure. The study of Philosophy, he says, is akin and practically synonymous with attaining happiness.
Anonymous A (OP) replied with this 14 years ago, 1 minute later, 28 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #303,957
stickybuns !bENfolDsOU replied with this 14 years ago, 1 minute later, 30 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #303,963
@previous (A)
I feel that in regards to the quote you mention, it does. Whether or not that holds true for other thinkers, I don't know. But in this piece, I believe it does and I'm inclined to agree with it personally.
I feel that in regards to the quote you mention, it does. Whether or not that holds true for other thinkers, I don't know. But in this piece, I believe it does and I'm inclined to agree with it personally.
Anonymous A (OP) replied with this 14 years ago, 1 minute later, 31 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #303,964
@previous (stickybuns !bENfolDsOU)
Yeah. That and the pursuit of happiness in this way can also be likened to the pursuit of knowledge.
Yeah. That and the pursuit of happiness in this way can also be likened to the pursuit of knowledge.
stickybuns !bENfolDsOU replied with this 14 years ago, 1 minute later, 33 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #303,965
@previous (A)
And by extension, pursuit of knowledge = pursuit of happiness. Knowledge is happiness.
And by extension, pursuit of knowledge = pursuit of happiness. Knowledge is happiness.
Fake anon !ZkUt8arUCU replied with this 14 years ago, 2 hours later, 2 hours after the original post[^] [v] #304,023
Ok on a serious note, I will take a look at this tomorrow when I am not tired and give you my analysis of this.
Anonymous A (OP) replied with this 14 years ago, 1 hour later, 4 hours after the original post[^] [v] #304,032
@previous (Fake anon !ZkUt8arUCU)
Thank you. I would love to know what I might have missed with my own analysis. Seriously.
Thank you. I would love to know what I might have missed with my own analysis. Seriously.
Anonymous C replied with this 14 years ago, 23 hours later, 1 day after the original post[^] [v] #304,338
Bumping because I wanted to hear what FA thought.
In the meantime, have some markov-text Epicurus.
In the meantime, have some markov-text Epicurus.
Falsehood and error reside in opinion. The evidence of our senses requires that thunder, just like other things, may be produced - particles suitable for memorization. I believe that everything is ruled by fate, but we should dismiss this. No one could be created out of anything, without requiring seeds. And if things which disappear become non-existent, nothing else and nothing more are needed to cause fire, and are then hurled in whatever direction is determined by the intervening air, as Democritus believed, or by the wind to the point of burdening divine nature. They either foresee their deaths as eternal suffering, as depicted in myths, or they fear the very beginning, so that each phenomenon can only be applied to what is needed to take a suit into court. He will punish his servants, but also pity them.
Clouds rub against each other. Atoms entangle in a particular way, in accordance also with differing racial and environmental factors. Later, particular coinages were made by consensus within the range of our senses and also in groups. Their corners on all sides have melted away. When they arrive at several places at once in the intervening air, as Democritus believed, or by concentration, or by the number of bodies and void, that atoms can be seen; we cannot even see the soul is dissolved and no longer has the same place, nor can we find several possible causes for some celestial phenomena, we have in each of ourselves according to the lack of consciousness that accompanies death as if it were not formed beforehand and later drawn by into our world. Rather, they immediately begin to take a suit into court.
For the body does not make one impious; preaching is what is most delicious, so to he does not have acquired sensation if it were not formed beforehand and later drawn by into our world. Rather, they immediately began to take into account the observations which signify other things. Such things are indeed caused by fate, but we see according to Diogenes in the same orientation and shape of their wild imagination; and by not setting a limit to suffering, their level of turmoil matches or exceeds what they seem to be in poverty, and he will pay court to a king, if need be. He will be made stronger than his fellow men, even without going into a compound, or surrounded by a dense wind while an external object are thereby correctly revealed. Remember all these things when the visible world proves us wrong.
Clouds rub against each other. Atoms entangle in a particular way, in accordance also with differing racial and environmental factors. Later, particular coinages were made by consensus within the range of our senses and also in groups. Their corners on all sides have melted away. When they arrive at several places at once in the intervening air, as Democritus believed, or by concentration, or by the number of bodies and void, that atoms can be seen; we cannot even see the soul is dissolved and no longer has the same place, nor can we find several possible causes for some celestial phenomena, we have in each of ourselves according to the lack of consciousness that accompanies death as if it were not formed beforehand and later drawn by into our world. Rather, they immediately begin to take a suit into court.
For the body does not make one impious; preaching is what is most delicious, so to he does not have acquired sensation if it were not formed beforehand and later drawn by into our world. Rather, they immediately began to take into account the observations which signify other things. Such things are indeed caused by fate, but we see according to Diogenes in the same orientation and shape of their wild imagination; and by not setting a limit to suffering, their level of turmoil matches or exceeds what they seem to be in poverty, and he will pay court to a king, if need be. He will be made stronger than his fellow men, even without going into a compound, or surrounded by a dense wind while an external object are thereby correctly revealed. Remember all these things when the visible world proves us wrong.
(Edited 25 seconds later.)
Anonymous A (OP) replied with this 14 years ago, 3 minutes later, 1 day after the original post[^] [v] #304,339
Anonymous C replied with this 14 years ago, 6 minutes later, 1 day after the original post[^] [v] #304,341
@previous (A)
I suppose I could agree with that generally. Although the quality of the evidence would certainly be dependent on the number of observers and their agreement about what they observed.
I suppose I could agree with that generally. Although the quality of the evidence would certainly be dependent on the number of observers and their agreement about what they observed.
Anonymous A (OP) replied with this 14 years ago, 11 hours later, 1 day after the original post[^] [v] #304,453
@previous (C)
It does raise the question of when something becomes 'empirical' and to what standard is this held. I think that's a good point... for example what can be repeated and observed by anyone. Typically the response for the scientific method... unfortunately philosophical issues can't be applied to it. At least not all the time. I wish I could think of a better example to fit this.
It does raise the question of when something becomes 'empirical' and to what standard is this held. I think that's a good point... for example what can be repeated and observed by anyone. Typically the response for the scientific method... unfortunately philosophical issues can't be applied to it. At least not all the time. I wish I could think of a better example to fit this.