Epistemology: Metaphysics: Ethics:: 3. Criticism

Post-Aristotelian Philosophy: Hellenistic & Roman Philosophy: Epicureanism Paul R.
Shockley, 2009
Following death of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C., Aristotle fled Athens; he died the following year. But with the demise of democracy, Athens ceased to be the political & scientist center.
Greek philosophy continued to flourish in Athens, but it did take a new turn with the est. of 4 schools of thought: (in addition to the existing schools, Plato’s Academy, which was shut down
by Emperor Justinian in AD 529, & Aristotle’s Lyceum: Epicureanism, Stoicism, Skepticism, & Neo-Platonism. We will first explore Epicureanism which was founded by Epicurus (342-271
B.C.). He founded the Garden where they lived a communal life, dedicated to the principles laid down by Epicurus himself. The De Reum Natura (On the Nature of Things) is the most revealing
source of Epicurean doctrine. Epicurean thinking reached its peak through Pierre Gassendi, who wrote three works on Epicurus, which were read by Hobbes, Locke, & Newton.
EPISTEMOLOGY: METAPHYSICS: ETHICS:

A. Sensations are criteria of truth: They combined an atomistic A. Compatible with our “Sensations” is A. Ultimately, Epicureanism is an ethical
materialism & empiricism with a set of ethical principles designed Atomism. Following Democritus, the
to liberate people from Mythos. theory identify “good” as pleasure.
Epicureans maintained that the world was
1. Knowledge is based on sense perception; sensation is criterion of composed of an infinite number of indivisible 1. Individual Pleasure: Different from Plato & Aristotle,
truth for it enables us to distinguish true views concerning the world atoms moving in the void. whereas they regard living in a community as part & parcel
from false views. Why? Sense perception is our only access to the 1
of the virtuous life, Epicurus’ view is individualistic:
word. Upshot is the reason itself is founded on senses; you don’t 1. Everything is composed of atoms & void. ethics is a question of individual pleasure.
have to doubt senses, but don’t confuse perception with fallible Since nothing can come from nothing, the basic 2. But Epicurean hedonistic theory of ethics is not the
interpretation. As long as one doesn’t add anything to stimulus, constituents of the universe have always existed. gross hedonism with which Epicureanism is sometimes
perceptions will be reliable. The void must exist because if all space were occupied, associated. Simply pleasures are held to be just as
Thus, unless at least some of our sense perceptions are true, & we can tell which then solid objects would have no space to move into. All valuable & easier to achieve than the most refined &
ones, knowledge of the world would be impossible. But knowledge of the world is atoms move at same speed, but when they collide & cultivated pleasures (e.g., eating a grape is as valuable as
possible. So, at least some of our sensations are true & we can tell which ones. deflect each other’s motions, they conjoin to form a solid
object. Such compound bodies have properties, which the
eating a gourmet dinner). Moreover, many of the pleasures
But there is no way for us to distinguish true from false sensations since sensations
are our only access to the world. Since knowledge requires we be able to tell atoms out of which they are made do not possess. Atoms obtained from gratifying body often result in greater pain.
which of our sensations are true, & if there were some false sensations we could have only shape, weight, and size. The human soul,
3. Basis of a society as a social contract, & Epicurus
not tell which were true, it follows that all our sensations are true. Sensations, that according to Epicurus, is composed of physical atoms; it
is finely structured & diffused throughout the whole denies that justice is a good in itself. Said differently,
is, are the criteria of truth.
body. The soul is born, grows, & dies with the body. The people do not have a moral obligation to act justly; rather,
2. Doctrine of Effluences: soul must be physical, because otherwise, it would be justice is a question of obeying rules that advance the
To explain how all our sensations are true, they appealed to the idea void or nothing. Since it is changed by & affects changes happiness of all concerned. Rules or laws that satisfy this
that sensations are caused by a sort of film of atoms which somehow in physical things, it can’t be immaterial. criterion of usefulness are just, and the wise person will
flow off the object & penetrate the perceiver. For ex. They explain, for 2. Swerve Doctrine: obey them in order to secure tranquility.
example, how a stick appears straight when out of water, but bent in water. The
Unlike Democritus, who maintained that atoms 4. They also maintained that mental anxiety is the
effluences which flow off the straight stick are disrupted by the water in reaching
the perceiver. The straight effluences, then, become bent by the water. move in the world in random directions, greatest pain. Freedom from this anxiety is the greatest
Epicureans maintained that the atoms move in pleasure. Thus, the atomistic theory serves to discredit 2
3. Criticism: a single downward direction. To explain the things most responsible for human anxiety: fear of death &
The Doctrine of Effluences weakens Epicurean empiricism (empiricism
collision, collection, & separation of atoms, the fear of the gods. People fear death because they fear the
is the view that our only or primary source of knowledge is sense argue for the “swerve.” This “swerve,” which punishment they may receive in the afterlife. But once they
perception). Sensations turn out not to be infallible evidences for the affects the motion of atoms at indeterminate times recognize that the soul is completely corporeal, a
shape for the stick, for example, but rather only the shape of the and places, provides a degree of randomness to collection of atoms just as susceptible to decomposition as
affluences of the stick. this otherwise determined world. Thus, the anything else, they have no reason to fear, death, &
4. Response: “swerve” effectively eliminates ANY ROOM for punishment. The atomistic theory assures them that neither
The Epicureans’s retort by distinguishing between sensations & Platonic & Aristotelian teleology. soul nor sensation nor consciousness survives death.
judgments. Sensations, being affluences, can’t be wrong. Judgments,
however, being of things not directly sensed (such as the stick itself), 3. Everything can be explained by appeal to the 5. Atomistic theory of nature assured them that the gods
as opposed to its effluences), can be true or false. judgments compatible purposeless, accidental, & indeterminate can’t be responsible for any natural even; they are
with & confirmed by the sensations are acceptable or justified. collection of & separation of animate atoms. The unable to affect anything.
“swerve” may be thought to make room for some
5. Admission/Consequence: semblance of human free will in this otherwise
There will be times when there is no way to decide between rival God help them.
fully determined mechanical world.
judgments.

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