Epicureanism & Stoicism

1. Epicureanism & Stoicism Honors 2101, Fall 2006 Bryan Benham

2. Outline • From Hellenism to Rome • Epicureanism • Stoicism • Comparisons

3. 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

4. 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)

5. 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 • Alexander’s army resisted further advance • Returned to Babylon, planned next campaign (China?) • Died of a fever May 29, 323 BCE (left one son, Alexander IV) • Alexander’s generals carve up empire • Ptolemy in Egypt • Seleucus in Near East/Asia Minor • Antigonus in Macedonia and Greece

6. Epicureanism • Epicurus (341-271 BCE) • A life devoted to worldly happiness based on materialist account of nature. • Encouraged withdrawal from political life into communities of like-minded individuals (Gardens in Athens) • Rational humanism, influence on Romans, revived in 16th/17th century with rise of science and renaissance humanism.

7. 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 ataraxia achievable by understanding the true nature of things; removal of source of fear and disturbance.

8. 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 is good, nor all pain bad. • Moderation in pursuit of pleasure and avoidance of pain • Friendship and other social/intellectual pleasures included. “Moderate Hedonism”

9. 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, not humans. • So, no need to fear gods

10. 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 is no life to be concerned with.

11. Lucretius (98- 55 BCE) • Roman expositor of Epicurean philosophy • Not much known about his life, other than he was a poet and philosopher • De Rerum Natura: • Influential as exposition • Also poetic style and form

12. 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

13. 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’, acknowledging limits of self-control and obligations of duty. Aiming for a tranquility of mind and evenness of emotional life. • Extremely influential in Roman era, as well as in early Church doctrine.

14. Stoicism • Aim: to achieve a tranquility of mind (ataraxia) and emotional stability (apathe) • Means: to understand the nature of things • Understand what is or isn’t under one’s control • No control over the events of life, but one’s reaction to those events • 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

15. Marcus Aurelius (121-180 CE) • Roman military and political leader • Reigned 161-180 CE • last of the “Five Good Emperors” who governed the Roman Empire from 96 to 180, and is also considered one of the most important stoic philosophers. • Meditations are stoic maxims to himself, a diary of a ruler • written on campaign between 170-180, is still revered as a literary monument to a government of service and duty and has been praised for its "exquisite accent and its infinite tenderness."

16. 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)

17. 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; wisdom includes understanding the difference. (apathê) • So, if a perfectly wise man saw his child in danger of drowning he would try to save the child; but if he failed (or succeeded) he would accept this without feeling distress or pity (or pride or relief), and without his happiness being diminished (or enhanced). • Moral virtue is the only good, wickedness the only evil: child’s death or survival is not a good or an evil; so long as the wise man tried his best, he has nothing to regret.

18. Philosophy Comparisons

19. Thoughts • We have looked at four different views of the “good” or “virtuous” life: Plato, Aristotle, Epicureanism, Stoicism. • If you had to pick one of the four, which would you favor? Why? • Are there any contemporary parallels with any of these four views?

20. Some Paper Topics • Both Epicureans and Stoics think fear of death is irrational and contrary to a good life. Pick one and describe how that school view death and its relation to a good life. Compare this view with another 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 a hedonistic life. Is it all good or all bad? Explain. • Stoicism emphasizes a resignation to fate, but they don’t believe everything is up to fate. Explain what is not under control of fate and why this is important for the Stoic view of the good life. Do you agree with the Stoics? How do they compare to other views of fate we have come across in our readings?