If the European world had continued to follow Epicurean materialism rather than Platonic idealism, would the renaissance and science occurred earlier in history?
The seeds of the scientific method can be found in the early materialists like Epicurus. The definite root stock of the enlightenment is found in Epicurus.
I like this newly discovered Epicurean take on prayer, and it's more nuanced than what we find in Lucretius's De Rerum Natura.
For Philodemus, prayer isn't a sad transaction (I'll sacrifice a goat to you if you give me shiny things), but a meditative tool that changes your psychological state for the better (ataraxia, perhaps).
Also, I still think it's one of the coolest tech discoveries of my lifetime that we can read scrolls carbonized in a volcanic eruption 1,900 years ago.
Spot on! Philodemus's nuanced Epicurean view of prayer as a path to ataraxia is a bit richer than Lucretius, although Lucretius himself also rejects divine intervention in De Rerum Natura.
And AI's role in decoding Herculaneum's carbonized scrolls is pretty mind-blowing tech wizardry. Imagine if we unlock lost ancient literature after 1,900 years--that would be truly one of the coolest discoveries ever!
Peter Green (a.k.a. the finest Classicist working in English, passed away in 2024 aged 99) on Epicurus (spoiler: Green regarded Epicurus as a counterintuitive precursor to both Christianity and to 20th century authoritarian Communism...and yes, I also thought him crazy before I read his arguments!)
Green on Epicurus (sample):
"Perhaps the most important thing to realize about Epicurus is that he was, in fact, the founder of a quasi-religious sect (a familiar paradox where crusaders are concerned: witness the habits of Marxists and professional atheists). His philosophy was long on dogma, short on free debate: rival creeds, clearly, were anathema, to be damned rather than refuted. It is highly significant that the later Epicureans made virtually no changes or modifications to his oeuvre, treating it in effect as holy writ. Indeed, Epicurean communes were obliged to take an oath, not only to obey the founder, but also to accept his doctrines. He was known as "The Leader" (Hēgemōn), and flattered like a god. His forty Principal Doctrines (Kyriai Doxai) formed a basic catechism not unlike the Thirty-Nine Articles; his doctrinal letters, to Herodotus (not, of course, the historian), Pythocles, and Menoeceus, are oddly reminiscent of the Pauline Epistles in tone, if not in content."
Green on Epicurus' "tetrapharmakos" i.e. "fourfold remedy":
"A hint of Nirvana here, though no Greek would ever tolerate than that kind of voluntary self-eclipse. There is more in life, in the end, than ataraxia. The saddest thing, in the last resort, about Epicureanism is its failure to get away from the dominant modes, political and economic no less than social, of the age. Just as the slave leaders, a Eunus or a Salvius, consciously aped the pomp, government, court protocol, and nomenclature of the Seleucid monarchy in their striving for an alternate society, so Epicurus, turning his back to the Hellenistic world (and even so not severing his economic ties to it), merely set up another Successor kingdom in miniature, with the Sage ruling in absolute power over his obsequious courtiers, a god-king manifest, the philosophical analogue to Antiochus Epiphanes."
(If this seems harsh, well you should see what Green does to the Stoics...)
Best of all, Green's willingness to engage the "great ones" head-on by dissecting their arguments rather than treat them always provides for lively and enlightening debate, even if one ends up disagreeing with his angles. It feels almost like finally meeting an actual Classical-grade philosopher in real life.
The book is his magnum opus, "Alexander to Actium: The Historic Evolution of the Hellenistic Age."
Never thought of Epicureanism as palaio-marxism, so to speak. Interestingly, Marx' doctoral thesis was on Epicurus, but I never made the connection. The fact that we're still talking about philosophical theories that were formulated thousands of years ago, whether in Greece, China, or Rome—it doesn't matter—is what makes them, perhaps, significant even today.
Well, I did not know that about Marx's thesis - thanks, great catch! :) Green may have known it though, but if so I don't think he ever mentioned it. His book is 700+ pages though, so I am not 100% certain.
A downright bizarre parallel of Epicureanism and Communism: use of the Leader's images for quasi-religious worship. Busts, rings, pendants...only with Epicurus in lieu of Lenin or Stalin or Mao or (closer to home) Tito...
Thank you! I love Epicureans, although I haven't studied them in depth. They are quite misunderstood and overlooked, as the Stoics mainly, have overshadowed them in fame because of their star Marcus Aurelius.
If the European world had continued to follow Epicurean materialism rather than Platonic idealism, would the renaissance and science occurred earlier in history?
That's an interesting What If. I believe it would, even a bit later. What's your take?
The seeds of the scientific method can be found in the early materialists like Epicurus. The definite root stock of the enlightenment is found in Epicurus.
Interesting. I've never thought of it like that, but it seems you have a point there.
Beats being a prude.
Here's a little history humor for you:
https://schrodingerschicken.substack.com/p/a-100-historically-accurate-confederate?r=6hnh8x
I like this newly discovered Epicurean take on prayer, and it's more nuanced than what we find in Lucretius's De Rerum Natura.
For Philodemus, prayer isn't a sad transaction (I'll sacrifice a goat to you if you give me shiny things), but a meditative tool that changes your psychological state for the better (ataraxia, perhaps).
Also, I still think it's one of the coolest tech discoveries of my lifetime that we can read scrolls carbonized in a volcanic eruption 1,900 years ago.
I also think this is related to one of the best arguments for religiosity over spirituality: https://andrewperlot.substack.com/p/why-im-not-religious-im-just-spiritual?r=1xulhu
Spot on! Philodemus's nuanced Epicurean view of prayer as a path to ataraxia is a bit richer than Lucretius, although Lucretius himself also rejects divine intervention in De Rerum Natura.
And AI's role in decoding Herculaneum's carbonized scrolls is pretty mind-blowing tech wizardry. Imagine if we unlock lost ancient literature after 1,900 years--that would be truly one of the coolest discoveries ever!
Peter Green (a.k.a. the finest Classicist working in English, passed away in 2024 aged 99) on Epicurus (spoiler: Green regarded Epicurus as a counterintuitive precursor to both Christianity and to 20th century authoritarian Communism...and yes, I also thought him crazy before I read his arguments!)
Green on Epicurus (sample):
"Perhaps the most important thing to realize about Epicurus is that he was, in fact, the founder of a quasi-religious sect (a familiar paradox where crusaders are concerned: witness the habits of Marxists and professional atheists). His philosophy was long on dogma, short on free debate: rival creeds, clearly, were anathema, to be damned rather than refuted. It is highly significant that the later Epicureans made virtually no changes or modifications to his oeuvre, treating it in effect as holy writ. Indeed, Epicurean communes were obliged to take an oath, not only to obey the founder, but also to accept his doctrines. He was known as "The Leader" (Hēgemōn), and flattered like a god. His forty Principal Doctrines (Kyriai Doxai) formed a basic catechism not unlike the Thirty-Nine Articles; his doctrinal letters, to Herodotus (not, of course, the historian), Pythocles, and Menoeceus, are oddly reminiscent of the Pauline Epistles in tone, if not in content."
Green on Epicurus' "tetrapharmakos" i.e. "fourfold remedy":
"A hint of Nirvana here, though no Greek would ever tolerate than that kind of voluntary self-eclipse. There is more in life, in the end, than ataraxia. The saddest thing, in the last resort, about Epicureanism is its failure to get away from the dominant modes, political and economic no less than social, of the age. Just as the slave leaders, a Eunus or a Salvius, consciously aped the pomp, government, court protocol, and nomenclature of the Seleucid monarchy in their striving for an alternate society, so Epicurus, turning his back to the Hellenistic world (and even so not severing his economic ties to it), merely set up another Successor kingdom in miniature, with the Sage ruling in absolute power over his obsequious courtiers, a god-king manifest, the philosophical analogue to Antiochus Epiphanes."
(If this seems harsh, well you should see what Green does to the Stoics...)
Best of all, Green's willingness to engage the "great ones" head-on by dissecting their arguments rather than treat them always provides for lively and enlightening debate, even if one ends up disagreeing with his angles. It feels almost like finally meeting an actual Classical-grade philosopher in real life.
The book is his magnum opus, "Alexander to Actium: The Historic Evolution of the Hellenistic Age."
Never thought of Epicureanism as palaio-marxism, so to speak. Interestingly, Marx' doctoral thesis was on Epicurus, but I never made the connection. The fact that we're still talking about philosophical theories that were formulated thousands of years ago, whether in Greece, China, or Rome—it doesn't matter—is what makes them, perhaps, significant even today.
Well, I did not know that about Marx's thesis - thanks, great catch! :) Green may have known it though, but if so I don't think he ever mentioned it. His book is 700+ pages though, so I am not 100% certain.
A downright bizarre parallel of Epicureanism and Communism: use of the Leader's images for quasi-religious worship. Busts, rings, pendants...only with Epicurus in lieu of Lenin or Stalin or Mao or (closer to home) Tito...
Love the bit about Epicurean hedonism. I could maybe get on board with that. Great piece!
Thank you! I love Epicureans, although I haven't studied them in depth. They are quite misunderstood and overlooked, as the Stoics mainly, have overshadowed them in fame because of their star Marcus Aurelius.
Thanks for sharing these interesting articles. LF
Thank you, for your kind words and support!
Thank you! Yes, the Epicureans are a bit misunderstood as people take hedonism a bit too literally.