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Philosophy

Philosophy. Epicurean, Stoic, The Academy (Neoplatonism). Roman Philosophy. Gods began as shapeless powers Etruscans and Greeks Relationships with the gods obligations Meticulous prayers Romans fear and respect gods. Tolerant of gods Foreign cults Romans discouraged Decorum

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Philosophy

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  1. Philosophy Epicurean, Stoic, The Academy (Neoplatonism)

  2. Roman Philosophy • Gods began as shapeless powers • Etruscans and Greeks • Relationships with the gods • obligations • Meticulous prayers • Romans fear and respect gods

  3. Tolerant of gods • Foreign cults • Romans discouraged • Decorum • Educated turn to philosophy • Greeks – rational explanation of nature of universe 6th Century • 5th and 4th century – best ways to live • 3rd century – Athens taught philosophy • 2 Schools: Epicureans (Epicurus) and Stoics (Zeno)

  4. Epicurus • Born: Greek Is. of Samos 341 BC • Est. school on outskirts of Athens • Taught until death in 270 BC • Wide circle of friends • Followers included women and slaves • Most philosophers despised these two groups - incapable

  5. Defined as… • Epicurean (adj.)fond of or adapted to luxury or indulgence in sensual pleasures; having luxurious tastes or habits, esp. in eating and drinking. • Synonyms gourmet, luxury, lavish, deluxe, rich.

  6. Basic Theory • Explain nature of universe • Early thinker – Democritus • All things are made up of atoma • Everything consists of steams of atoms • Flow in parallel lines in a void • Occasionally - atoms collide and joins to produce matter

  7. Some additional beliefs… • Atoms and the void have always existed by the swerving and combining come about purely by chance so the world cannot have been created by any gods or god • Because atoms swerve by chance nothing is fixed. The destiny of humans is not predestined and humans can act according to their free will.

  8. Some additional beliefs… • There are many different kinds of atoms • There are many universes besides the one we can see • Each human has a soul composed of very fine atoms • Eventually the combinations of atoms break up. This explains the death and disintergration of human body and soul

  9. Some additional beliefs… • All human atoms rejoin the common pool. They may recombine to form some other kind of matter but human memorydies forever. This means that, for humans, death is the end of everything • All unexplained events which people claim are caused by the gods, are in fact caused by the movement and combination of atoms.

  10. Epicurean view of the gods • No point in worshipping the gods • Nothing to be feared after death • Gods do not create life • Gods have no influence on events of individual • Gods were outside of the universe • Perfect beings

  11. Epicurean view of the gods • Indifferent to human affairs and behaviour • Try to be like gods • No point in praying or sacrificing • Gods could give off very fine atoms

  12. Epicurus believed: • People should strive to behave with moral ideals • Greatest good = pleasure • Best achieved by: avoiding pain • Humans should live secluded, quiet lives • Avoid all extremes and all activities that might bring pain

  13. A true Epicurean: • Replaced love with friendship • Replaced ambition and greed with attempts to achieve peace and tranquillity • Replaced excess of any kind moderation • Believed the human senses were a true guide to reality • Replaced prayer, sacrifice and fear of the gods with the contemplation of their perfection

  14. A true Epicurean: • Did not fear death because human consciousness would no longer exist after death • Believed the world consisted of atoms and void • Believed all matter came about by the chance swerving of atoms to create new combinations • Believed there were many more universes then the one visible to the human eye

  15. In Rome… • Reached Rome late 3rd Century • Greek culture spread and tradition decayed • Titus Lucretius Carus (1st century BC) • The Nature of the Universe • Explained teaching of Epicurus

  16. Lucretius • “Bodies are of two kinds, the basic atoms and combination of basic atoms. The basic atoms cannot be destroyed by any force, for they defeat any force by their very lack of void.”

  17. Lucretius • “Nature… can run the universe by herself and does not need the help of the gods. They spend their peaceful lives, their placid ages in untroubled tranquillity. For who can govern that which is too great too measure? Who is able to control the uncontrollable? Who can spin each universe and nourish all earths as they bear their produce? Who can be in all places at once…?

  18. Lucretius put forward the ideas of Epicureans in the purest form • BUT Romans… • If death ended all – then enjoy life!

  19. Stoicism • Founder: Zeno • Phonecian born around 355 BC • died 262 BC • Athens 314 BC • Ideas very different from Epicurus

  20. Defined as… • Stoic: (adj.)1. of or pertaining to the school of philosophy founded by Zeno, who taught that people should be free from passion, unmoved by joy or grief, and submit without complaint to unavoidable necessity. • Stoicism:conduct conforming to the precepts of the Stoics, as repression of emotion and indifference to pleasure or pain.

  21. Basic Theory • Not scientific • No theory to rival atoms and void • Earlier doctrine • Thinker named Heraclitus • Fire was the basis of all matter • Identified fire with God of Reason – created world

  22. Basic Theory • Believe in a single god – World Soul • All things shared in World Soul • After death • Soul returned to and dissolved back into World Soul • World not governed by blind chance • Ruled by fixed and unchanging laws

  23. Stoics believed: • All living beings were children of God • All humans ruled by same law and so were equal • Included women, slaves and foreigners • Humans can only fulfil themselves by conforming to divine law • Live by rules of nature

  24. Living with nature… • Accept without complaint whatever fate the Supreme being choose • Train themselves to live with basics only • Develop the gift of reason • Help discipline pleasures and passions • Overcome pain, grief, superstition, fear • Subdue the body and emotions = Reach greater good = VIRTUE

  25. In Rome… • Romans found ideas attractive • Little trouble believing in single, all powerful World Soul • Fixed laws of universe = sensible • Pursuit of virtue identified with pietas • Introduced in 2nd Century BC by Greek called Panaetius • Seneca (tutor of Nero) • Marcus Aurelius (emperor)

  26. Seneca on the value of philosophy • It was the custom with our ancestors, observed right up to my own time, to add the first words of a letter “I hope you are as well as I am”. We are speaking the truth if we say “I hope you are studying philosophy” for that is what is really mean by being well. Without this the mind is sick, and the body, even if it has great strength is only as well as the body of an insane or delirious person. So I particularly recommend you see to the health of the mind first and the body second.”- Seneca (Letter XVI)

  27. Seneca on self-denial • ‘Put aside a few days on which you are content with a very little and very cheap food, and hard and rough clothing and you will say to yourself, “Is this what use to be feared?” In a time of security let the mind prepare itself for the difficulties, and be strengthened against fortune’s injuries while she is handing out favours.’- Seneca (Letter XVIII)

  28. Marcus Aurelius on brotherhood • If the faculty of understanding lies in common amongst us all, then reason, the cause of it, must be common too; and that other reason too which governs the practise by commands and prohibitions. From whence we may conclude, that mankind are under one common law; and if so, they must be fellow-citizens, and belong to some body politic. From whence it will follow, that the whole world is but one commonwealth; for certainly there is no other society in which mankind can be incoporated. - Marcus Aurelius Meditations IV

  29. The Academy • A 3rd important school of philosophy • Based on teachings of Plato • Born in Athens 427 BC • Died 384 BC • School called the Academy • Believed the world was constantly changing • People cannot be sure of anything • Behind the world… • Humans can grasp ideas through reason • Important idea: Goodness • Few Romans admired his teachings

  30. Difference between philosophy and religion: • All three schools gave followers instructions about best way to live • Moral conduct was not essential to Roman religion • Philosophy rejected traditional views of gods • Roman religion had little intellectual content • Philosophy was intellectually challenging • Neither Roman religion or Philosophy was emotionally satisfying

  31. Growth and influence of Epicureanism and Stoicism… • Rome became increasingly involved in Greek world… • Romans attracted to lack of superstition… • Man has a place in the universe… • Taught how to lead your life… • Upper class… • Powerful men…

  32. Referencing primary sources • In his poem The Nature of the Universe , Lucretius urged men to reject “ancient superstitions”… • In Virgil’s Aeneid…

  33. EPICUREANISM! What was the attitude of the Romans to Epicureanism? Discuss using references to Lucretius and Horace STOICISM! What was the attitude of the Romans to Stoicism? Discuss using references to Cicero, Seneca and Marcus Aurelius

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