In class, we discussed Carpe Diem and what it has to do with Hellenistic Philosophy. We discussed the four dominant philosophical schools, which were, Plato’s Academy, Aristotle’s Lyceum, Zeno’s Stoa and Epicurus’ Garden. We then discussed how Zeno’s Stoa and Epicurus’ Garden constantly contradict each other. We then described the differences between Epicureanism and Stoicism.
Epicureanism dealt with atomism, where we are all discrete isolated individuals caught in the void and we only exist by chance. Since in Epicureanism there is only chance, this means that there is no teleology and pleasure is the main goal, where all humans act for the sake of pleasure or the absence of pain. In Stoicism unity was the main idea, where everything is through and through. Unlike Epicureanism, Stoicism says that everything is done by fate and that there is an absolute teleology and an absolute end to all behavior; everything is connected. Instead of pleasure being the main goal, in Stoicism the main good is the good or duty. Everyone is duty bound to follow reason or nature regardless of the consequences.
Towards the end of class we talked about the types of pleasure, Kinetic vs. Static, and found that static is the highest pleasure because it is the absence of pain and cannot be increased or decreased. After we talked about askesis of desire and how we need to discipline ourselves to know what we should desire. The types of desires were Natural and Necessary, that being food, shelter and clothing. Natural but Unnecessary, which could be soda or sex and Unnatural and Unnecessary which would be big houses, excess amounts of clothes.
That last thing we discussed was Freedom vs. Fate and how it is up to us how we deal with our decisions, whether they are good or bad. Good judgment was is saying yes to fate and saying yes to whatever the world throws at us, and bad judgment is attempting to revolt against reason and being pained by the indifference of fate.
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