The purpose of this class is to familiarize the student with the fundamental doctrines of Epicurean philosophy. When this course is complete, the student will know both the major doctrines of Epicurus and the major controversies about those doctrines. The student will also have a general background of where Epicurean Philosophy fits within the religious and philosophical landscape of both ancient Athens and the modern world.
The purpose of this course will be to learn Epicurus using Lucretius' "De Rerum Natura" as our guide. In other words, in this course we will study Epicurus in exactly the order and with exactly the content that Epicurus' greatest poet used to introduce Epicurean philosophy to his friend Memmius. Course material will include the discussion of each section of the poem as conducted on the Lucretius Today Podcast.
The purpose of this class is to familiarize the student with how Epicurean philosophy compares in general terms to other modern and ancient philosophies. When
this course is complete, the student will know both the major doctrines
of Epicurean philosophy and a general idea of how those doctrines
compare with ancient and modern alternative theories.
This seminar will provide a summary of Epicurean Philosophy primarily through the use of selected excerpts of the ancients texts.