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155 BC Athenian embassy incl. (Skeptic)
Carneades visits Rome
Roman focus on “practical” philosophy/
ethics
Schools of philosophy:
Skeptics
Eclectics
Epicureans
Stoics
Skeptics
Skepsis (Gk: inquiry [into how to achieve
mental and emotional tranquillity])
Rejection of philosophical systems
Must accept human inability to perceive
reality and truth
Become indifferent, suspend judgment (epoche)
Skeptics
Old Skeptics: Earliest Pyrrho of Elis (early 3rd c.
BC), then others up to 2nd c. BC
New Skeptics: Earliest Aenesidemus of
Alexandria (btw. 100 and 40 BC). Later
example Sextus Empiricus (d. c. 200 AD)
Question of probability
Eclectics
“Pick and choose” approach
Usefulness as dictator of choice of elements
from each philosophical tradition.
Usefulness determined by “common sense”
Famous followers: Cicero (106-43 BC),
Plutarch (1st-2nd c. AD), Philo of
Alexandria (1st c. AD)
Eclectics
Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC)
Plutarch (1st-2nd c. AD)
Lives of the Philosophers
Moralia
Philo of Alexandria (1st c. AD)
Reconciling the Bible and Greek philosophy
Epicureans
Epicurus of Samos (341-271 BC), founder
of the school (garden) of the Epicureans
at Athens, 306 BC
Titus Lucretius Carus (99-55 BC)
De Rerum Natura (On the Nature of
Things)
Epicureans
“Pleasure is the beginning and end of a life of
blessedness.”
Philosophy as way to happiness (freedom from
human passions)
Epicureans
Fourfold rule of philosophy:
1. To free men from fear of the gods
2. To free men from fear of death
3. To show that pleasure is easy to attain
4. To expose short-lived nature of suffering
and evil
Canonics, Physics, Ethics
Epicureans
Epicurean Canonics (logic):
Canon/guideline/criterion of truth
Sensations, anticipations, emotions
Epicureans
Epicurean Physics:
Rejection of gods. Materialistic view
of the universe
Atomism
Sensations through images (Gk: eidola)
Epicureans
Epicurean Physics:
The problem of evil. Gods…
or
or
or
Want to eliminate evil but cannot - impotent
Do not want to but can - envious
Neither want to nor can - impotent and
envious
Want to and can - so why is there evil?
Gods must be indifferent to human destiny
Epicureans
Epicurean Ethics:
Happiness (ataraxia [freedom from care]
and aponia [lack of pain]) consists in
pleasure
Pleasures as natural and necessary, natural
and unnecessary, unnatural and
unnecessary. First as essential goal,
last to be avoided
Epicureans
Epicurean Ethics:
Pleasures should leave one master of
oneself and imperturbable. Emphasis
on spiritual pleasures esp. friendship
Natural and necessary pleasures:
equanimity, health/comfort, sustenance
of life
Eliminating causes of trouble and pain
Epicureans
Epicurean Ethics:
Tranquillity, moderation, self-restraint
Limit needs to avoid exposing oneself to
hurt, incl. avoiding public office
Wise man: serene, moderate, temperate,
free of care, ever-balanced,
imperturbable