The Words of Epicurus: 1. Principal Doctrines I-XX

Principal Doctrines I-XX.

Epicurus was an ancient Greek philosopher who believed everything was made up of atoms. His PRINCIPAL DOCTRINES are 40 maxims that summarise his ethical theory.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Epicurus
• principal
• doctrines
• kyriai
• doxai
• Greek
• philosophy
• atomism
• Democritus
• Lucretius
• Leucippus
• Plato
• Socrates

[abbesieyes]

If one believes Epicurus great, how much greater then the source of 'his' Doctrines.

The Vedas.

[BryanAJParry]

Could you give me some of the similarities, please?

[abbesieyes]

Pretty much all the key points of Epicureanism can be found in Vedic philosophy. I would look to Epicurus as a refiner rather than an originator.

The easiest and first one would be the very concept of 'atom' itself. "If the radiance of a thousand suns were to burst at once into the sky, that would be like the splendor of the mighty one." Bhagavad Gita.

Self awareness as key to abscence of pain/fear (aponia), self sufficiency. Interesting that he did not agree with reincarnation though.

[BryanAJParry]

I'm definitely like to look into that, but I'm still on the Abrahamic religions. One day I'll read vedic philosophy, no dout :)

About "refining", the question I guess is did Epicurus know of such works in order to refine them, or did he (and/or his forerunner Democritus) come up with them independently? Certain ideas keep getting repeated in philosophy e.g. the notion that less can be more with the right mindset.

[BryanAJParry]

About the atom, what exactly was the vedic notion of the atom? Epicurus said atoms differed in weight, size, and shape, and that the combination of these atoms in various manners produced ultimately all we see, but that these atoms are too small to see etc. How about the vedic notion? Also, if your quote is meant to explain the vedic atomism, it doesn't. I don't quite see how that quote relates to the concept of the atom. Could you elaborate, please? :)

[BryanAJParry]

His rejection of re-incarnation was to do with his atomism. He thought that the soul and flesh were intimately knit, and even if the constituents were re-assembled again, even exactly as before, the continuity of sense-experience would have been broken, and thus the memories (effectively the person) would not remain. On what basis does vedic thought claim re-incarnation exists? I'ld be particularly curious to hear more about their notion of atoms and how that links to re-incarnation :D

[Jtking3000]

epicurus is definately one of my favorite philosophers

[CapeandCowl]

Excellent video. Thank you for posting this.

[MushroomedAnymore]

@Hoobifta "Epicurus said food pleasures and intellectual pleasures are best"--Where does he say this? Thanks! :-)

[Hoobifta]

I agree with millions of millions even billions of things authentically epicurean. I definitely agree with all three of these videos. *u*

[1awareness]

Amen

[GodlessStephen]

@Hoobifta I'm an Epicurean too. And I don't disagree.

[Hoobifta]

@GodlessStephen Epicurus was asking for happiness of mankind. I'm an epicurean and when compared to hedonism, they're both pleasures but are dissimilar. Epicureanism is a position to take if sex isn't the only thing you think of. Epicurus said food pleasures and intellectual pleasures are best, but the first hedonist said sex is the best pleasure. If you enjoy fine food, happiness, and comfort, hedonism and epicureanism are the ultimate existence, & epicureanism is for a quiet life, w. friends.

[QRF11B]

@HelloHelicopter He who possesses is possessed.

[abbesieyes]

Bless you for your slanders, unapologeticmind.

There is no oxymoron in squaring a circle. You show you know nothing whatsoever of classical (the only valid) Philosophy. "Let No One Ignorant of Geometry enter."

[unapologeticmind]

@abbesieyes To combine atomism and reincarnation would be the philosophical equivalent of squaring a circle, it's by definition an oxymoron. Judging by your ramblings here it's obvious that you don't understand Epicureanism (nor the Vedas for that matter)...

[anuragchoubey]

@Jtking3000 Read about abt "Diogenes of sinope" probably he was d best.