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Epicureanism & Stoicism
Honors 2101, Fall 2006
Bryan Benham
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Outline
From Hellenism to Rome
Epicureanism
Stoicism
Comparisons
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From Hellenism to Rome
Classical Athens: Rational Humanism Power and stability of democratic city-state
Critical assessment of individual & community
Individual defined by capacity to reason
Aim at good society, good life via reason
Hellenistic Society: Cosmopolitanism Political instability, monarchy, cultural expansion
Value of individual & community put into question
Issues related to alienation, fatalism, and virtue
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Hellenistic Age (c. 323-30 BCE)
Decline of Athens (c. 404)
Rise of Macedon:
Philip (d. 336) & Alexander
Death of Alexander (323)
[Aristotle dies 322]
Hellenism
Alexandria cultural center
Fusion of peoples
Stoicism & Epicureanism
Mystery Religions
Roman Ascension
Roman Republic (509-133)
Collapse of Republic (133-30)
Roman Empire (30 BCE- 180 CE)
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Alexander the Great (r. 336-323) Succeeded his father, Philip II at age 20
Philip II unites Macedonia
Philip II defeats Athens and Thebes
Plans to invade Persia, assassinated on eve of campaign
Invaded Asia Minor with 37,000 in 334
Defeated Persian fleet on Asia Minor coast, without a navy.
Advanced to Egypt, made Pharaoh, founded Alexandria Pursued Darius III (Persians) into Mesopotamia
Victory at Tigris when outnumbered by Persians
Bablyon surrenders
Reached northern India, defeated King Porus
Alexanders army resisted further advance
Returned to Babylon, planned next campaign (China?) Died of a fever May 29, 323 BCE (left one son, Alexander IV)
Alexanders generals carve up empire
Ptolemy in Egypt
Seleucus in Near East/Asia Minor
Antigonus in Macedonia and Greece
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Epicureanism
Epicurus (341-271 BCE)
A life devoted to worldly happiness
based on materialist account ofnature.
Encouraged withdrawal from politicallife into communities of like-mindedindividuals (Gardens in Athens)
Rational humanism, influence onRomans, revived in 16th/17thcentury with rise of science andrenaissance humanism.
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Epicureanism
Materialism (Atomism)
All things are atoms & void; shape & size
Atoms are eternal (nothing from nothing), universe is
boundless
Ethics
Aim: eudaimonia= happiness is a mind free from
disturbance (ataraxia) and a body free from pain. Means: fear and ignorance cause disturbances in mind and
body, so ataraxiaachievable by understanding the true
nature of things; removal of source of fear and disturbance.
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Body free from pain
Pleasure and pain natural and necessary sensations Can reduce pain by avoiding painful things
Increase pleasure by pursuing pleasurable things.
But, a prudent life (virtuous) tells us not all pleasure isgood, nor all pain bad. Moderation in pursuit of pleasure and avoidance of pain
Friendship and other social/intellectual pleasures included.
Moderate Hedonism
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What causes fear? The gods
Fear punishment and arbitrary interference a type of superstitious belief
But, gods are immortal and blessed, Not celestial bodies aiming to pass judgment;
Not vengeful;
Only concerned with their own domain, nothumans.
So, no need to fear gods
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What causes fear? Death
Fear the pain and misery of life after death. Either the punishment or dreary life of death
But, death is nothing but cessation of life. Atomism (death is separation of body and soul;
only through body is sensation possible;dissolution of material components, including soul.
So, in life there is no death; in death there isno life to be concerned with.
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Lucretius (98- 55 BCE)
Roman expositor of Epicurean
philosophy
Not much known about his life,
other than he was a poet andphilosopher
De Rerum Natura:
Influential as exposition Also poetic style and form
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In this life
The banquet Lucretius pp. 598-99
Death is nothing Lucretius, pp. 596-98
Hell is in our lives
Lucretius, pp. 600-01 (Hell is in our lives)
And, knowledge of the nature of things Lucretius, p. 602
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Stoicism
Origins
Zeno of Citium (333-264 BCE)
Chrysippus (280-270 BCE)
Epictetus* (~130-50 BCE)
Seneca (3-65 CE) Marcus Aurelius* (121-180 CE)
A life resigned to fate, acknowledginglimits of self-control and obligations ofduty. Aiming for a tranquility of mind and
evenness of emotional life.
Extremely influential in Roman era, aswell as in early Church doctrine.
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Stoicism
Aim: to achieve a tranquility of mind (ataraxia) andemotional stability (apathe)
Means: to understand the nature of things Understand what is or isnt under ones control
No control over the events of life, but ones reaction to thoseevents
So, reason-guided life in accord with the nature of things
Precepts: Fatalism: world determined by divine providence
Conventionalism in moral action and social responsibility,including modesty
Cosmopolitanism: reason is divine spark that unites
individuals
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Marcus Aurelius (121-180 CE)
Roman military and political leader
Reigned 161-180 CE
last of the Five Good Emperorswhogoverned the Roman Empire from 96 to
180, and is also considered one of themost important stoic philosophers.
Meditationsare stoic maxims to himself, adiary of a ruler
written on campaign between 170-180, isstill revered as a literary monument to agovernment of service and duty and hasbeen praised for its "exquisite accent andits infinite tenderness."
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Meditations
Ideal Man (Antonius Pius) pp. 827-28: what are the qualities of his father that
Aurelius holds in esteem?
Fatalism p. 831 (VI.1); p. 832 (X.2); p. 833 (XII.)
Death
p. 829 (II.2); p. 830 (IV.); pp. 831-32 (VII.) Duty and Virtue
pp. 828-29 (II.1); pp. 829-30 (III.1); o, 830-31(V.1); p. 832 (X.1 & .3)
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Archer Simile
(apathe) A wise man is like an archer who cares less about actually
hitting the target than about doing his best to hit it; wisdomincludes understanding the difference. (apath)
So, if a perfectly wise man saw his child in danger of drowninghe would try to save the child; but if he failed (or succeeded) hewould accept this without feeling distress or pity (or pride orrelief), and withouthis happiness being diminished (orenhanced).
Moral virtue is the only good, wickedness the only evil: childsdeath or survival is not a good or an evil; so long as the wiseman tried his best, he has nothing to regret.
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Philosophy Comparisons
Aim Means Comments
Plato
A just or well-order
soul
Each part of the soul
doing its part well;
reason rules
Knowledge of the
good is paramount;
wisdom
Aristotle
Eudaimonia:
happiness as a well
ordered life as a
whole
Virtues: character
traits that are means
between extremes
Hierarchy of goods
and necessities of
good life; a whole life
Epicureanism
Eudaimonia:
Ataraxiaor mind and
body free from
disturbance
Moderate Hedonism:
Prudent action and
understanding of
nature; avoid pain,
moderate pleasure
Materialism and
removal of irrational
fear as cause of
distrubances
Stocisim
Eudaimonia:
Ataraxiaorpathe:
rational constancy in
accord with nature
Moderate Fatalism:
Knowing what is/is not
within ones control;
adjusting desires to
nature of things.
Pantheistic, fatalistic,
moral
conventionalism,
modesty;
cosmopolitanism
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Thoughts
We have looked at four different views of thegood or virtuous life: Plato, Aristotle,Epicureanism, Stoicism.
If you had to pick one of the four, which wouldyou favor? Why?
Are there any contemporary parallels withany of these four views?
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Some Paper Topics
Both Epicureans and Stoics think fear of death is irrational andcontrary to a good life. Pick one and describe how that schoolview death and its relation to a good life. Compare this view withanother view we have discussed in the course? Are there any
interesting contemporary parallels or alternatives? Epicureanism has been accused of being a materialistic and
thus hedonistic view of life. Is this true? Evaluate the virtues of ahedonistic life. Is it all good or all bad? Explain.
Stoicism emphasizes a resignation to fate, but they dont believe
everything is up to fate. Explain what is not under control of fateand why this is important for the Stoic view of the good life. Doyou agree with the Stoics? How do they compare to other viewsof fate we have come across in our readings?