Podcasts about Epicurus

Ancient Greek philosopher

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Best podcasts about Epicurus

Latest podcast episodes about Epicurus

Lucretius Today -  Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy
Episode 281 -Is Pain The Greatest Evil - Or An Evil At All?

Lucretius Today - Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy

Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2025 43:45


Welcome to Episode 281 of Lucretius Today. This is a podcast dedicated to the poet Lucretius, who wrote "On The Nature of Things," the most complete presentation of Epicurean philosophy left to us from the ancient world. Each week we walk you through the Epicurean texts, and we discuss how Epicurean philosophy can apply to you today. If you find the Epicurean worldview attractive, we invite you to join us in the study of Epicurus at EpicureanFriends.com, where we discuss this and all of our podcast episodes. This week we continue our series covering Cicero's "Tusculan Disputations" from an Epicurean viewpoint. This series addresses five of the greatest questions in human life (Death, Pain, Grief/Fear, Joy/Desire, and Virtue) with Cicero speaking for the majority and Epicurus the main opponent: Today we begin Part 2 - "Is Pain An Evil?," starting with Section V, where the question is posed. -------------------------- Show notes are here: https://www.epicureanfriends.com/thread/4454-episode-281-is-pain-the-greatest-evil-or-even-an-evil-at-all-part-one-not-yet-re/?postID=35286#post35286

Lucretius Today -  Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy
Episode 280 - On Death And Daring To Live

Lucretius Today - Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy

Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2025 52:44


Welcome to Episode 280 of Lucretius Today. This is a podcast dedicated to the poet Lucretius, who wrote "On The Nature of Things," the most complete presentation of Epicurean philosophy left to us from the ancient world. Each week we walk you through the Epicurean texts, and we discuss how Epicurean philosophy can apply to you today. If you find the Epicurean worldview attractive, we invite you to join us in the study of Epicurus at EpicureanFriends.com, where we discuss this and all of our podcast episodes. This week we continue our series covering Cicero's "Tusculan Disputations" from an Epicurean viewpoint, and today we wrap up Cicero's remaining arguments on death in Part 1, starting with Section XLII. Show Notes:   https://www.epicureanfriends.com/thread/4445-episode-280-death-and-daring-to-live/?postID=35169#post35169

Lucretius Today -  Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy
Episode 279 - On Dying "Before One's Time"

Lucretius Today - Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy

Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2025 39:29


Welcome to Episode 279 of Lucretius Today. This is a podcast dedicated to the poet Lucretius, who wrote "On The Nature of Things," the most complete presentation of Epicurean philosophy left to us from the ancient world. Each week we walk you through the Epicurean texts, and we discuss how Epicurean philosophy can apply to you today. If you find the Epicurean worldview attractive, we invite you to join us in the study of Epicurus at EpicureanFriends.com, where we discuss this and all of our podcast episodes. This week we continue our series covering Cicero's "Tusculan Disputations" from an Epicurean viewpoint. This series addresses five of the greatest questions in philosophy, with Cicero speaking for the majority and Epicurus the main opponent.Today we continue debating the nature of death in Section XXXIX. Show Notes: https://www.epicureanfriends.com/thread/4439-episode-279-on-dying-before-one-s-time-not-yet-recorded/

Dr. Baliga's Internal Medicine Podcasts
Dr RR Baliga's Philosophical Discourses: Epicurus (Greece, 341–270 BCE) – Founder of Epicureanism

Dr. Baliga's Internal Medicine Podcasts

Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2025 3:16


Epicurus (341–270 BC) was an ancient Greek philosopher who founded Epicureanism, emphasizing the pursuit of a tranquil, happy life through ataraxia (freedom from fear) and aponia (absence of pain). His teachings combined atomism, ethics, and naturalistic theology, advocating simple living, friendship, and the rejection of superstition.

Optimal Health Daily
2967: An Open Letter to Those Who Have Lost Their Motivation by Marc Chernoff of Marc And Angel

Optimal Health Daily

Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2025 11:15


Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 2967: Marc Chernoff reminds us that even when we feel beaten down and empty, we carry unseen reserves of support and strength. Through a heartfelt story, he encourages appreciating both our external and internal sources of motivation to keep moving forward, one small step at a time. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.marcandangel.com/2016/03/05/an-open-letter-to-those-who-have-lost-their-motivation/ Quotes to ponder: "During those tough times, it will sometimes appear to us that we've lost everything, and that nothing and nobody could possibly motivate us to move onward in the direction of our dreams." "No matter your circumstances, you always have what you need to take the next smallest step." "Be mindful. Be present. Keep going. One small step at a time." Episode references: The Philosophy of Epicurus: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/epicurus/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Optimal Health Daily - ARCHIVE 1 - Episodes 1-300 ONLY
2967: An Open Letter to Those Who Have Lost Their Motivation by Marc Chernoff of Marc And Angel

Optimal Health Daily - ARCHIVE 1 - Episodes 1-300 ONLY

Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2025 11:15


Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 2967: Marc Chernoff reminds us that even when we feel beaten down and empty, we carry unseen reserves of support and strength. Through a heartfelt story, he encourages appreciating both our external and internal sources of motivation to keep moving forward, one small step at a time. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.marcandangel.com/2016/03/05/an-open-letter-to-those-who-have-lost-their-motivation/ Quotes to ponder: "During those tough times, it will sometimes appear to us that we've lost everything, and that nothing and nobody could possibly motivate us to move onward in the direction of our dreams." "No matter your circumstances, you always have what you need to take the next smallest step." "Be mindful. Be present. Keep going. One small step at a time." Episode references: The Philosophy of Epicurus: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/epicurus/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Worker and Parasite
The Art of Happiness by Epicurus

Worker and Parasite

Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2025 68:02


In this episode, Jerry and Stably discuss The Art of Happiness by Epicurus, specifically the Penguin Classics edition that compiles Epicurean texts alongside interpretations by editors like Dan Klein and George K. Strodach. They clarify that Epicurus never authored a book by that title; rather, it is a curated volume of letters, aphorisms, and summaries of his philosophy. The hosts highlight how the book heavily features commentary by Strodach, which at times overtakes the original texts. They explore the core tenets of Epicureanism, such as pleasure as the absence of pain, and critique the editorial tone, noting Strodach's assertive, almost irascible personality. 

Lucretius Today -  Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy
Episode 278 - Two Opposite Views On Being Better Off Dead

Lucretius Today - Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy

Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2025 62:48


Welcome to Episode 278 of Lucretius Today. This is a podcast dedicated to the poet Lucretius, who wrote "On The Nature of Things," the most complete presentation of Epicurean philosophy left to us from the ancient world. Each week we walk you through the Epicurean texts, and we discuss how Epicurean philosophy can apply to you today. If you find the Epicurean worldview attractive, we invite you to join us in the study of Epicurus at EpicureanFriends.com, where we discuss this and all of our podcast episodes. This week we continue our series covering Cicero's "Tusculan Disputations" from an Epicurean viewpoint. Today we continue debating the nature of death in Section XXXII. Episode notes:https://www.epicureanfriends.com/thread/4425-episode-278-two-opposite-views-on-when-we-might-be-better-off-dead/

Le chemin de ma philosophie
59. Finding Meaning in Work

Le chemin de ma philosophie

Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2025 37:57


Are you part of the 45% of high-skilled professionals that would trade some salary for more meaning at work? We're all searching for that “why” behind what we do. Is it impact, growth, or just not dreading Mondays? If you're picking a job just for the bragging rights, philosophy is here to call you out and nudge you toward what actually lights you up.

Archways: Western Civilization History Podcast for Families
History of Leisure (384 BC - AD 2020)

Archways: Western Civilization History Podcast for Families

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2025 24:47


In this episode we discuss the history of thinking about leisure from Aristotle, Epicurus, Seneca, and Cicero to St. Paul, Gregory I, St. Benedict, Thomas Aquinas, Dante, and John Calvin to Schopenhauer and Nietzsche. Leisure was once seen as a time for debating philosophy or studying the universe, before giving way to slothful bread and circuses. Christian thought hit back hard against Roman excess, teaching leisure was a sinful waste of God's time. In modern times, thinkers are trying to discover what leisure is good and how much is too much. In the face of the AI revolution, will we choose a future of constant passive entertainment, or will we continue to find meaning in our leisure or at the very least more work to do?

Lucretius Today -  Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy
Episode 277 - Platonism Says This World Is Darkness - Epicurus Disagrees!

Lucretius Today - Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2025 56:01


Welcome to Episode 277 of Lucretius Today. This is a podcast dedicated to the poet Lucretius, who wrote "On The Nature of Things," the most complete presentation of Epicurean philosophy left to us from the ancient world. Each week we walk you through the Epicurean texts, and we discuss how Epicurean philosophy can apply to you today. If you find the Epicurean worldview attractive, we invite you to join us in the study of Epicurus at EpicureanFriends.com, where we discuss this and all of our podcast episodes. This week we continue our series covering Cicero's "Tusculan Disputations" from an Epicurean viewpoint. This series addresses five of the greatest questions in philosophy, with Cicero speaking for the majority and Epicurus the main opponent: Today we turn our attention further to "Is Death An Evil," and we will read beginning in Section XXVI where the discussion continues with more about the Pythagorean / Platonic view of the human soul. Episode Notes: https://www.epicureanfriends.com/thread/4402-episode-277-platonism-says-this-world-is-darkness-but-the-next-world-is-light-ep/

Lucretius Today -  Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy
Episode 276 - Is Memory Evidence of Divinity Of The Soul?

Lucretius Today - Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2025 55:39


Welcome to Episode 276 of Lucretius Today. This is a podcast dedicated to the poet Lucretius, who wrote "On The Nature of Things," the most complete presentation of Epicurean philosophy left to us from the ancient world. Each week we walk you through the Epicurean texts, and we discuss how Epicurean philosophy can apply to you today. If you find the Epicurean worldview attractive, we invite you to join us in the study of Epicurus at EpicureanFriends.com, where we discuss this and all of our podcast episodes. This week we continue our series covering Cicero's "Tusculan Disputations" from an Epicurean viewpoint. This series addresses five of the greatest questions in philosophy, with Cicero speaking for the majority and Epicurus the main opponent: Today we continue our discussion of "Is Death An Evil," and we will read beginning in Section XXIV where the discussion continues with Plato's ideas on memory as proof of the soul's divinity. Show Notes:  https://www.epicureanfriends.com/thread/4388-episode-276-is-memory-evidence-for-the-divinity-of-the-soul-td06/

Lucretius Today -  Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy
Episode 275 - Does Motion Prove The Existence Of God And The Divinity Of The Soul?

Lucretius Today - Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2025 53:05


Welcome to Episode 275 of Lucretius Today. This is a podcast dedicated to the poet Lucretius, who wrote "On The Nature of Things," the most complete presentation of Epicurean philosophy left to us from the ancient world. Each week we walk you through the Epicurean texts, and we discuss how Epicurean philosophy can apply to you today. If you find the Epicurean worldview attractive, we invite you to join us in the study of Epicurus at EpicureanFriends.com, where we discuss this and all of our podcast episodes. This week we continue our series covering Cicero's "Tusculan Disputations" from an Epicurean viewpoint.  Today we turn our attention to Section XXIII,  where the discussion addresses the issue of the implications of motion. Our general discussion guide for Tusculun Disputations is here: https://handbook.epicureanfriends.com/notes/epicurea…html#org0c11d2e A side-by-side version with comments is here: https://epicureanfriends.github.io/tusculundisput…glish/section:5

Lucretius Today -  Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy
Lucretius Today Podcast Episode 274 - Is The Soul Held Down By The Body, And Death Allow The Soul To Ascend To A Better Place?

Lucretius Today - Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2025 61:04


Welcome to Episode 274 of Lucretius Today. This is a podcast dedicated to the poet Lucretius, who wrote "On The Nature of Things," the most complete presentation of Epicurean philosophy left to us from the ancient world. Each week we walk you through the Epicurean texts, and we discuss how Epicurean philosophy can apply to you today. If you find the Epicurean worldview attractive, we invite you to join us in the study of Epicurus at EpicureanFriends.com, where we discuss this and all of our podcast episodes. This week we continue our series covering Cicero's "Tusculun Disputations" from an Epicurean viewpoint. This series addresses five of the greatest questions in philosophy, with Cicero speaking for the majority and Epicurus the main opponent: 1. Is Death An Evil? (Cicero says no and Epicurus says no, but for very different reasons)2. Is Pain An Evil? (Cicero says no, Epicurus says yes)3. Does the Wise Man Experience Grief and Fear? (Cicero says no, Epicurus says yes)4. Does the Wise Man Experience Joy and Desire? (Cicero says no, Epicurus says yes)5. Is Virtue Sufficient For A Happy Life? (Cicero says yes, Epicurus says no) As we found in Cicero's "On Ends" and "On The Nature of the Gods," Cicero treated Epicurean Philosophy as a major contender in the battle between the philosophies, and in discussing this conflict and explaining Epicurus' answers to these questions, we will deepen our understanding of Epicurus and how he compares to the other major schools. These week we continue our discussion in the section "Is Death An Evil," and we will pick up in Section XVII. Show Notes: https://www.epicureanfriends.com/thread/4365-episode-274-is-cicero-right-that-death-a-better-place-td04/#post34569 

Existential Stoic Podcast
Is Epicureanism Relevant Today?

Existential Stoic Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2025 23:51


Are ancient philosophies like Epicureanism still relevant today? In this episode, Danny and Randy discuss why Epicureanism is still applicable.  Thanks to listener Alex B. for this episode topic. Subscribe to ESP's YouTube Channel! Thanks for listening!  Do you have a question you want answered in a future episode? If so, send your question to: existentialstoic@protonmail.com Danny, Randy, and their good friend, Russell, created a new podcast, CodeNoobs, for anyone interested in tech and learning how to code. Listen to CodeNoobs now online, CodeNoobs-podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.

The Nathan Jacobs Podcast
Providence in the Eastern Church Fathers | Problem of Evil | Part 4 of 5 

The Nathan Jacobs Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2025 155:58


In this fourth installment on the Problem of Evil, Dr. Jacobs explores the complex relationship between divine providence and human freedom. What does it mean that God delegates subsovereignce to creation? And how does divine foreknowledge interact with human self-determination? Tune in as we examine biblical figures like Abraham, Job, and Saul alongside the desecration of goodness and the atheist's problem with evil. This episode lays crucial groundwork for understanding the synergistic nature of providence before our final exploration of theodicy.All the links: X: https://x.com/NathanJacobsPodSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hSskUtCwDT40uFbqTk3QSApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nathan-jacobs-podcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenathanjacobspodcastSubstack: https://nathanajacobs.substack.com/Website: https://www.nathanajacobs.com/Academia: https://vanderbilt.academia.edu/NathanAJacobs 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:13 The rational ordering principle00:13:17 What is the individual? 00:32:05 Divine foreknowledge 00:40:08 Abraham, Job, & Saul 00:52:06 Providence: blueprint or synergy? 01:01:29 The desecration of goodness01:08:28 The atheist's evil problem 01:18:51 So why doesn't God intervene? 01:34:30 God delegates subsovereignce  01:46:06 A critical feature of providence 01:49:51 What DOES God do? 01:56:49 The divine energies 02:16:40 The synergistic nature of providence 02:27:17 Engaging in self-determinationOther words for the algorithm… Leibniz, A defense of God, Epicurus, David Hume, Heraclitus, The Problem of Pain, The Problem of Divine Hiddenness, Christianity, Eastern Christianity, Orthodox Christian, Christianity, Evangelical, Protestant, Catholicism, Catholics, pantheism, Empedocles, body-soul dualism, metaphysical dualism, Manichaeism, Augustine of Hippo, Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, Nicene Creed, The Arian Dispute, Christology, Seven Ecumenical Councils, Jonathan Pageau, Fr. Josiah Trenham, Jordan Peterson, Pints With Aquinas, Christian apologetics, theology, Alex O'Connor, John of Damascus, Alvin Plantinga, modal logic, Scholastics, the consequent will of God, Origen, complex goods, Theism, philosophy of religion, natural theology, moral philosophy, ontological argument, teleological argument, cosmological argument, ancient philosophy, patristics, church fathers, suffering, existentialism, free will, determinism, sovereignty, divine attributes, omnipotence, omniscience, benevolence, theological ethics, moral evil, natural evil, comparative religion, religious epistemology, divine justice, meaning of suffering, spiritual formation, rationalism, empiricism, atheism, agnosticism, William Lane Craig, Ravi Zacharias, Bishop Barron, apologetics debate, philosophical theology, Thomas Aquinas, divine providence, spiritual warfare, eschatology, redemptive suffering, qualified omnipotence

Lucretius Today -  Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy
Episode 273 - Is The Soul Immortal, And Death Actually a Good?

Lucretius Today - Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2025 63:41


Welcome to Episode 273 of Lucretius Today. This is a podcast dedicated to the poet Lucretius, who wrote "On The Nature of Things," the most complete presentation of Epicurean philosophy left to us from the ancient world. Each week we walk you through the Epicurean texts, and we discuss how Epicurean philosophy can apply to you today. If you find the Epicurean worldview attractive, we invite you to join us in the study of Epicurus at EpicureanFriends.com, where we discuss this and all of our podcast episodes. This week we continue our series covering Cicero's "Tusculun Disputations" from an Epicurean viewpoint. This series addresses five of the greatest questions in philosophy, with Cicero speaking for the majority and Epicurus the main opponent:  These week we turn our attention further to "Is Death An Evil?" and we will read beginning in Section XII where the discussion continues and Cicero asserts that death may actually be a good. https://www.epicureanfriends.com/thread/4344-episode-273-is-the-soul-immortal-and-death-actually-a-good-so-says-cicero-and-pl/?postID=34522#post34522

Lucretius Today -  Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy
Episode 272 - Is Death An Evil? - TD02

Lucretius Today - Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2025 56:37


Welcome to Episode 272 of Lucretius Today. This is a podcast dedicated to the poet Lucretius, who wrote "On The Nature of Things," the most complete presentation of Epicurean philosophy left to us from the ancient world. Each week we walk you through the Epicurean texts, and we discuss how Epicurean philosophy can apply to you today. If you find the Epicurean worldview attractive, we invite you to join us in the study of Epicurus at EpicureanFriends.com, where we discuss this and all of our podcast episodes. This week we continue our series covering Cicero's "Tusculun Disputations" from an Epicurean viewpoint. This series addresses five of the greatest questions in philosophy, with Cicero speaking for the majority and Epicurus the main opponent: Is Death An Evil? (Cicero says no and Epicurus says no, but for very different reasons)Is Pain An Evil? (Cicero says no, Epicurus says yes)Does the Wise Man Experience Grief and Fear? (Cicero says no, Epicurus says yes)Does the Wise Man Experience Joy and Desire? (Cicero says no, Epicurus says yes)Is Virtue Sufficient For A Happy Life? (Cicero says yes, Epicurus says no)As we found in Cicero's "On Ends" and "On The Nature of the Gods," Cicero treated Epicurean Philosophy as a major contender in the battle between the philosophies, and in discussing this conflict and explaining Epicurus' answers to these questions, we will deepen our understanding of Epicurus and how he compares to the other major schools. These week we turn our attention further to "Is Death An Evil," and we will read and discuss Sections V through IX where the question is framed and the discussion begins. https://www.epicureanfriends.com/thread/4334-episode-272-td02-is-death-an-evil/

Lucretius Today -  Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy
Episode 271 - Understanding Epicurus Through Tusculun Disputations - TD01

Lucretius Today - Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2025 35:32


Welcome to Episode 271 of Lucretius Today. This is a podcast dedicated to the poet Lucretius, who wrote "On The Nature of Things," the most complete presentation of Epicurean philosophy left to us from the ancient world. Each week we walk you through the Epicurean texts, and we discuss how Epicurean philosophy can apply to you today. If you find the Epicurean worldview attractive, we invite you to join us in the study of Epicurus at EpicureanFriends.com, where we discuss this and all of our podcast episodes. This week we begin a new series covering Cicero's Tusculun Disputations from an Epicurean viewpoint. This series addresses five of the greatest questions in philosophy, with Cicero speaking for the majority and Epicurus the main opponent: 1. Is Death An Evil? (Cicero says no and Epicurus says no, but for very different reasons)2. Is Pain An Evil? (Cicero says no, Epicurus says yes)3. Does the Wise Man Experience Grief and Fear? (Cicero says no, Epicurus says yes)4. Does the Wise Man Experience Joy and Desire? (Cicero says no, Epicurus says yes)5. Is Virtue Sufficient For A Happy Life? (Cicero says yes, Epicurus says no) As we found in Cicero's "On Ends" and "On The Nature of the Gods," Cicero treated Epicurean Philosophy as a major contender in the battle between the philosophies, and in discussing this conflict and explaining Epicurus' answers to these questions, we will deepen our understanding of Epicurus and how he compares to the other major schools. Our thread on this episode is here: https://www.epicureanfriends.com/thread/4318-episode-271-understanding-epicurus-through-tusculun-disputations-td-01/

Lucretius Today -  Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy
Episode 270 - Life Is Desirable, But Unlimited Time Contains No Greater Pleasure Than Limited Time

Lucretius Today - Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2025 59:11


Welcome to Episode 270 of Lucretius Today. This is a podcast dedicated to the poet Lucretius, who wrote "On The Nature of Things," the most complete presentation of Epicurean philosophy left to us from the ancient world. Each week we walk you through the Epicurean texts, and we discuss how Epicurean philosophy can apply to you today.If you find the Epicurean worldview attractive, we invite you to join us in the study of Epicurus at EpicureanFriends.com, where we discuss this and all of our podcast episodes.Today we are continuing our series of key doctrines of Epicurus, and this week we are focusing on the Epicurean view that "Life Is Desirable, But Unlimited Time Contains No Greater Pleasure Than Limited Time."Look here for more information:  https://www.epicureanfriends.com/thread/4292-episode-270-life-is-desirable-but-unlimited-time-contains-no-greater-pleasure-th/

Lucretius Today -  Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy
Episode 269 - By Pleasure We Mean The Absence of Pain

Lucretius Today - Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2025 57:03


Welcome to Episode 269 of Lucretius Today. This is a podcast dedicated to the poet Lucretius, who wrote "On The Nature of Things," the most complete presentation of Epicurean philosophy left to us from the ancient world. Each week we walk you through the Epicurean texts, and we discuss how Epicurean philosophy can apply to you today. If you find the Epicurean worldview attractive, we invite you to join us in the study of Epicurus at EpicureanFriends.com, where we discuss this and all of our podcast episodes. We are continuing our series of key doctrines of Epicurus, and this week and next week we are focusing on the full meaning of "Pleasure" in the Epicurean framework. Last week we discussed the central role that Pleasure plays as "Guide of Life," and this week we will dive deeper and focus on the full meaning of the word Pleasure in Epicurean philosophy. https://www.epicureanfriends.com/thread/4284-episode-269-by-pleasure-we-mean-all-experience-that-is-not-painful-by-pleasure-w/

Lucretius Today -  Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy
Episode 268 - Pleasure Is The Guide Of Life

Lucretius Today - Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2025 69:11


Welcome to Episode 268 of Lucretius Today. This is a podcast dedicated to the poet Lucretius, who wrote "On The Nature of Things," the most complete presentation of Epicurean philosophy left to us from the ancient world. Each week we walk you through the Epicurean texts, and we discuss how Epicurean philosophy can apply to you today. If you find the Epicurean worldview attractive, we invite you to join us in the study of Epicurus at EpicureanFriends.com, where we discuss this and all of our podcast episodes. We are continuing our series of key doctrines of Epicurus, and this week and next week we are focusing on the nature of Pleasure and its role as the guide of life. These two discussions will be closely related, but first we follow up on last week's episode as to how it is Pleasure, rather than Virtue, that actually serves as the guide of life. Next week we will dive deeper into the many aspects of Pleasure, but this week we will start with the role that Pleasure plays in the overall scheme of Nature - as a faculty, as a criterion of truth, and as the "guide of life" per Lucretius' line which is translated as: Lucretius Book Two [167]: Munro: "But some in opposition to this, ignorant of matter, believe that nature cannot without the providence of the gods, in such nice conformity to the ways of men, vary the seasons of the year and bring forth crops, aye and all the other things, which divine pleasure, the guide of life, prompts men to approach, escorting them in person and enticing them by her fondlings to continue their races through the arts of Venus, that mankind may not come to an end."https://www.epicureanfriends.com/thread/4283-episode-268-pleasure-is-the-guide-of-life-the-role-of-pleasure-in-life/

Lucretius Today -  Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy
Episode 267 - Virtue Is Not Absolute Or An End In Itself - All Good And Evil Consists In Sensation

Lucretius Today - Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2025 59:13


Welcome to Episode 265 of Lucretius Today. This is a podcast dedicated to the poet Lucretius, who wrote "On The Nature of Things," the most complete presentation of Epicurean philosophy left to us from the ancient world. Each week we walk you through the Epicurean texts, and we discuss how Epicurean philosophy can apply to you today. If you find the Epicurean worldview attractive, we invite you to join us in the study of Epicurus at EpicureanFriends.com, where we discuss this and all of our podcast episodes. This week we are continuing our review of the key doctrines of Epicurus that are featured here at Epicureansfriends on the front page of our website. This week we will discuss: "Virtue Is Not Absolute Or An End In Itself - All Good And Evil Consists In Sensation." Episode Thread: https://www.epicureanfriends.com/thread/4227-episode-267-virtue-is-not-absolute-or-an-end-in-itself-all-good-and-evil-consist/ Discussion Outline: https://handbook.epicureanfriends.com/notes/virtuenotabsolute.html

The Wisdom Of
Byung-Chul Han and Aristotle - Why real friends shouldn't be afraid of conflict!

The Wisdom Of

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2025 15:12


As friends we gratify and pamper too much, or so these philosophers say! Find out more!

Lucretius Today -  Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy
Episode 266 - The Epicurean Paradigm Shift

Lucretius Today - Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2025 62:00


Welcome to Episode 266 of Lucretius Today. This is a podcast dedicated to the poet Lucretius, who wrote "On The Nature of Things," the most complete presentation of Epicurean philosophy left to us from the ancient world. Each week we walk you through the Epicurean texts, and we discuss how Epicurean philosophy can apply to you today. If you find the Epicurean worldview attractive, we invite you to join us in the study of Epicurus at EpicureanFriends.com, where we discuss this and all of our podcast episodes.This week we have one more special episode before we return to our normal seqence. This week will be an updated version of a talk I gave onJanuary 19, 2025, as part of our first EpicureanFriends Livestream. Next week we'll be back with our co-hosts for a regular Lucretius Today episode. Until then, here is my presentation of "The Epicurean Paradigm Shift."https://www.epicureanfriends.com/thread/4276-episode-266-the-epicurean-paradigm-shift/?postID=33969#post33969

Behind The Curtain: Mysteries of the Past and Present with Josh and Ryan

In this episode we talk with our friend, Rene Maillet of Basic Bible @itsbasicbible, about some of the top objections with Christianity. The number 1 objection is the "problem of evil," which questions how a benevolent and omnipotent God could allow evil to exist in the world and is generally attributed to the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus. We just wanted to discuss the topic because these types of objections are often floated in short format on social media. As Christians, we want to be ready to give a defense of our faith and these discussions help us talk through these issues logically. Connect with Rene Maillet @itsbasicbible Connect with us! Social: Instagram.com/behindthecurtainpc Youtube.com/btcmysteries TikTok.com/btcmysteries Email: behindthecurtainpc@gmail.com Fair use Music in this episode: Opening & Closing track by Jim Hall - "Hope is not Lost"

Lucretius Today -  Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy
Episode 265 - The Deep-Set Boundary Stone - Epicurus and The Perils of Applying Geometry to Ethics

Lucretius Today - Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2025 31:40


Welcome to Episode 265 of Lucretius Today. This is a podcast dedicated to the poet Lucretius, who wrote "On The Nature of Things," the most complete presentation of Epicurean philosophy left to us from the ancient world. Each week we walk you through the Epicurean texts, and we discuss how Epicurean philosophy can apply to you today. If you find the Epicurean worldview attractive, we invite you to join us in the study of Epicurus at EpicureanFriends.com, where we discuss this and all of our podcast episodes. This week we have a special episode in which our podcaster co-host Joshua will give a talk entitled "The Deep-Set Boundary Stone - Epicurus and The Perils of Applying the Principles of Geometry to Ethical Philosophy."This talk was given on January 19, 2025, as part of our first EpicureanFriends Livestream. We'll link the slideshow presentation in the show notes to this episode, but you can view it anytime at EpicureanFriends.com by clicking on the "Featured Videos" link at the top of our website. Next week we'll be back with a regular Lucretius Today episode. Until then, enjoy Joshua on the topic "The Deep-Set Boundary Stone - Epicurus and The Perils of Applying the Principles of Geometry to Ethical Philosophy."https://www.epicureanfriends.com/thread/4268-episode-265-the-deep-set-boundary-stone-epicurus-and-the-perils-of-applying-the/#post33824

Lucretius Today -  Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy
Episode 264 - "Bread and Water!!?? Debunking the Myth of Epicurean Asceticism"

Lucretius Today - Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2025 23:29


Welcome to Episode 264 of Lucretius Today. This is a podcast dedicated to the poet Lucretius, who wrote "On The Nature of Things," the most complete presentation of Epicurean philosophy left to us from the ancient world. Each week we walk you through the Epicurean texts, and we discuss how Epicurean philosophy can apply to you today. If you find the Epicurean worldview attractive, we invite you to join us in the study of Epicurus at EpicureanFriends.com, where we discuss this and all of our podcast episodes. This week we have a special episode in which our podcaster co-host Don will give a talk entitled "Bread and Water - Debunking the Myth of Epicurean Asceticism." This talk was given on January 19, 2025, as part of our first EpicureanFriends Livestream. We'll link the slideshow presentation in the show notes to this episode, but you can view it anytime at EpicureanFriends.com by clicking on the "Featured Videos" link at the top of our website. At the same location we also have a link to Don's video on "Where Was the Garden of Epicurus? Isolated, or Near the Center of Things?" In that talk, just as in this new Bread and Water talk, Don debunks myths that have grown up around Epicurean philosophy, mistakenly labeling the ancient Epicureans as isolationist and ascetic. Don does great work and we're proud to have him as a part of our podcast family. Next week we'll be back with a regular Lucretius Today episode. Until then, enjoy Don on the topic "Bread and Water? Debunking the Myth of Epicurean Ascetism:" Podcast thread: https://www.epicureanfriends.com/thread/4226-episode-264-applying-epicurus-accurately/#post33762 Slideshow video: https://www.epicureanfriends.com/thread/4251-bread-and-water-debunking-the-myth-of-epicurean-asceticism/

The Great Books
Episode 356: The Letters of Epicurus

The Great Books

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2025 36:12


John J. Miller is joined by Spencer Klavan to discuss the letters of Epicurus.

Lucretius Today -  Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy
Episode 263 - All Sensations Are True

Lucretius Today - Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2025 66:13


Welcome to Episode 263 of Lucretius Today. This is a podcast dedicated to the poet Lucretius, who wrote "On The Nature of Things," the most complete presentation of Epicurean philosophy left to us from the ancient world. Each week we walk you through the Epicurean texts, and we discuss how Epicurean philosophy can apply to you today. If you find the Epicurean worldview attractive, we invite you to join us in the study of Epicurus at EpicureanFriends.com, where we discuss this and all of our podcast episodes. This week we are continuing our review of the key doctrines of Epicurus that are featured here at Epicureansfriends on the front page of our website. This week we will address "All Sensations Are True" https://www.epicureanfriends.com/thread/4216-episode-263-all-sensations-are-true-not-yet-recorded/

Standard Deviations
Dr. Daniel Crosby - Happiness vs. Meaning: Lessons from Epicurus for a Fulfilling Life

Standard Deviations

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2025 9:39


Tune in to hear:What is our contemporary understanding of Epicureanism missing? How did Epicurus understand happiness differently than this connotation?What are the keys to genuine happiness according to Epicurus?What are kinetic and katastematic pleasures?Why does the pursuit of happiness often make happiness itself more elusive?How do happiness and meaning relate differently to past, present and future?LinksThe Soul of WealthConnect with UsMeet Dr. Daniel CrosbyCheck Out All of Orion's PodcastsPower Your Growth with OrionCompliance Code: 0099-U-25013

Philosophy for our times
Stoicism for contemporary society | Stoicism PART 3 | Nancy Sherman

Philosophy for our times

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2025 26:03


Why is stoicism one of the most well-known and read philosophical strains in the contemporary age? After 2000+ years, what is its continued appeal?Join philosopher Nancy Sherman, an expert in ancient philosophy, as she delves into her attraction to the topic and the ways she believes it applies to the contemporary age. A good introductory episode to the topic for those interested in learning more.To witness such topics discussed live buy tickets for our upcoming festival: https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/And visit our website for many more articles, videos, and podcasts like this one: https://iai.tv/You can find everything we referenced here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimesAnd don't hesitate to email us at podcast@iai.tv with your thoughts or questions!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Arts & Ideas
Knowing When To Stop

Arts & Ideas

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2025 57:07


Do the means justify the end, as Sartre asked? When is an art work finished? From the frenzy of Bacchus to the moderation of Epicurus - how have Greek thinkers looked at life? Christmas - a time for panto, over-eating and gaudy decorations - was your festive season overwhelming or excessive? The writer and broadcaster Andrew Doyle, the classicist Edith Hall, comedian Rob Newman, environmentalist Rupert Read and performer and suffrage historian Naomi Paxton join Shahidha Bari to discuss when enough is enough and knowing when to stop.Producer: Lisa Jenkinson

Philosophy for our times
Ancient solutions for modern problems | Stoicism Series PART 2 | Massimo Pigliucci

Philosophy for our times

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2025 20:44


How to be a StoicWhat can Zeno of Citium teach you about going to the movie theatre?Join philosopher and author Massimo Pigliucci for part two of a series on the ancient practice of Stoicism, exploring and analysing ideas from Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, and Zeno of Citium.Massimo Pigliucci is an American philosopher and biologist who currently works as professor of philosophy at the City College of New York. He is also the former co-host of the Rationally Speaking Podcast, and former editor-in-chief for the online magazine Scientia Salon. He is a critic of pseudoscience and creationism, as well as an advocate for secularism and science education. Massimo's recent work has focused on stoicism, having written three books on the topic, including 'The Stoic Guide to a Happy Life' and 'How to Be a Stoic: Using Ancient Philosophy to Live a Modern Life'.To witness such talks live, buy tickets for our upcoming festival: https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/And visit our website for many more articles, videos, and podcasts like this one: https://iai.tv/You can find everything we referenced here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Practical Wisdom
Epicurus on justice and injustice

Practical Wisdom

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2025 4:37


“The justice that seeks nature's goal is a utilitarian pledge of men not to harm each other or be harmed.Nothing is either just or unjust in the eyes of those animals that have been unable to make agreements not to harm each other or be harmed. …Justice was never an entity in itself. It is a kind of agreement not to harm or be harmed.It is impossible for a person who underhandedly breaks the agreement not to harm or be harmed to feel sure that he will escape punishment, even though he manages to do so time after time; for up to the very end of his life he cannot be sure that he will actually escape.In its general meaning, justice is the same for all because of its utility in the relations of men to each other, but in its specific application to countries and various other circumstances it does not follow that the same thing is just for all.If somebody lays down a law and it does not prove to be of advantage in human relations, then such a law no longer has the true character of justice.”(Leading Doctrines, 31-38)The Philosophy Garden: Stoicism and Beyond is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thephilosophygarden.substack.com/subscribe

Lucretius Today -  Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy
Episode 262 - He Who Says "Nothing Can Be Known" Knows Nothing

Lucretius Today - Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2025 60:57


Welcome to Episode 262 of Lucretius Today. This is a podcast dedicated to the poet Lucretius, who wrote "On The Nature of Things," the most complete presentation of Epicurean philosophy left to us from the ancient world. Each week we walk you through the Epicurean texts, and we discuss how Epicurean philosophy can apply to you today. If you find the Epicurean worldview attractive, we invite you to join us in the study of Epicurus at EpicureanFriends.com, where we discuss this and all of our podcast episodes. This week we are continuing our review of the key doctrines of Epicurus that are featured here at Epicureansfriends on the front page of our website. This week we will address "He Who Says 'Nothing Can Be Known' Knows Nothing" For more information go to:  https://www.epicureanfriends.com/thread/4200-episode-262-he-who-says-nothing-can-be-known-knows-nothing/

Philosophy for our times
Ancient solutions for modern problems | Stoicism Series PART 1 | Massimo Pigliucci

Philosophy for our times

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2025 19:10


How to be a StoicWhat can Marcus Aurelius teach you about the iPhone?Join philosopher and author Massimo Pigliucci for part one of a series on the ancient practice of Stoicism, exploring and analysing ideas from Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, and Zeno of Citium.Massimo Pigliucci is an American philosopher and biologist who currently works as professor of philosophy at the City College of New York. He is also the former co-host of the Rationally Speaking Podcast, and former editor-in-chief for the online magazine Scientia Salon. He is a critic of pseudoscience and creationism, as well as an advocate for secularism and science education. Massimo's recent work has focused on stoicism, having written three books on the topic, including 'The Stoic Guide to a Happy Life' and 'How to Be a Stoic: Using Ancient Philosophy to Live a Modern Life'.To witness such talks live, buy tickets for our upcoming festival: https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/And visit our website for many more articles, videos, and podcasts like this one: https://iai.tv/You can find everything we referenced here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Practical Wisdom
Epicurus on friendship

Practical Wisdom

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 3, 2025 3:44


“Of all the things that wisdom provides for the happiness of the whole man, by far the most important is the acquisition of friendship.It is the same judgment that has made us feel confident that nothing fearful is of long duration or everlasting, and that has seen personal security during our limited span of life most nearly perfected by friendship.”(Leading Doctrines, 27-28)The Philosophy Garden: Stoicism and Beyond is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thephilosophygarden.substack.com/subscribe

Lucretius Today -  Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy
Episode 261 - Death Is Nothing To Us

Lucretius Today - Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2024 64:04


Welcome to Episode 261 of Lucretius Today. This is a podcast dedicated to the poet Lucretius, who wrote "On The Nature of Things," the most complete presentation of Epicurean philosophy left to us from the ancient world. Each week we walk you through the Epicurean texts, and we discuss how Epicurean philosophy can apply to you today. If you find the Epicurean worldview attractive, we invite you to join us in the study of Epicurus at EpicureanFriends.com, where we discuss this and all of our podcast episodes. This week we are continuing our review of the key doctrines of Epicurus that are featured here at Epicureansfriends on the front page of our website. This week we will address "Death Is Nothing To Us" https://www.epicureanfriends.com/thread/4194-episode-261-death-is-nothing-to-us/ 

Living Words
A Sermon for the First Sunday after Christmas

Living Words

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2024


A Sermon for the First Sunday after Christmas Isaiah 7-9 & St. Matthew 1:18-25 by William Klock The Prophet Isaiah made his way along the dusty track across the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem.  His young son walked beside him as they followed the Siloam Channel that carried water from an ancient rock-cut pool into to the city.  That's where the Lord had told Isaiah he would meet the King, Ahaz.  He was to go there to declare the word of the Lord to the King and he was to take his young son with him, whom the Lord had told him to name Shear-jashub.  The name means “a remnant shall return”.  A way of saying that God would not let his people be obliterated by their enemies.  Isaiah's son was, himself, part of the prophetic message.  And there was the King.  Ahaz was looking over the great stones, carved and set a thousand years before by the Canaanites who had founded Jerusalem.  It was the city's water supply and Isaiah could see the concern on the King's face.  Those were dark days.  Seven-hundred-and-thirty years before Jesus was born.  The Assyrian Empire to the east was the great power of the day and claimed the small western powers like Judah, Israel, and Syria as its own.  The King of Israel, in particular, was in a tough spot.  To pay the tribute he owed to the Assyrians he levied an enormous tax on the rich.  Rich people don't like being heavily taxed and they were on the verge of revolt.  At the moment, the King of Assyria was busy fighting in the north, so the King of Israel made an alliance with the King of Syria and the two of them approached Ahaz.  They wanted Judah to join their alliance.  Together, maybe, they could throw off the heavy Assyrian yoke.  They'd done it a hundred years before.  Together, maybe, they could do it again. But Ahaz was afraid.  He knew what would happen if they lost.  And so he refused to join the alliance.  But Israel and Syria wouldn't take no for an answer.  They laid siege to Jerusalem.  If Ahaz wouldn't join up with them, they would defeat him and put their own puppet king on the throne of Judah.  And so, that day, King Ahaz was out surveying Jerusalem's water supply.  Would it survive the siege?  He was worried.  And that's where Isaiah and Shear-jashub met him.  Isaiah was afraid, too.  Ahaz had a reputation.  Both 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles tell us that he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord.  Instead of following in the footsteps of his “father” David, he walked in the ways of the evil kings of Israel.  He was a weak, fearful, and vacillating king.  Instead of trusting the Lord to deal with Israel and Syria, he aligned himself with Assyria.  A few years later, after visiting the temples of the Assyrian capital, he would remove various furnishings from the temple in Jerusalem in order to make room for a pagan altar like the ones he'd seen there.  He was a wicked king who would lead God's people into idolatry.  Confronting a king with the word of the Lord is never an easy thing to do, but confronting an ungodly king with the word of the Lord was even more difficult.  Think of John the Baptist, seven hundred years later, landing in Herod's prison for declaring the word of the Lord.  But unlike the King who trusted in horses and chariots and in foreign gods and kings more than he trusted in the Lord, Isaiah's faith was unwavering.  And he met the King and, nervous as he surely was, he declared the word of the Lord with power and authority.  “Do not be afraid”.  This alliance of Israel and Syria and their siege, the Lord said: “It shall not stand”.  The Lord was urging the king to trust in him.  He also said, through Isaiah, “If you do not stand firm in faith, you shall not stand at all.” And to guarantee his promise to the King, the Lord gave Ahaz a sign.  Through Isaiah he said to him: Behold, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.  He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good.  For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.   What the Lord was saying to Ahaz was, “Look.  Trust in me.  Don't trust in horses, don't trust in chariots, don't trust in pagan kings and pagan gods.  Trust in me and I will take care of you.  I am your God and you are my people.  I promised David that his descendants would sit on Judah's throne forever and neither Israel, nor Syria, nor the Assyrians will undermine my promise.”  The Lord had Isaiah mention a young woman, a maiden.  We don't know who this girl was, but it had to be someone known to the king.  Maybe the queen or one of the princesses in the court.  Whoever it was, Isaiah tells the king that she's going to have a child and he is to be named Immanuel.  Immanuel means “God is with us”.  And the Lord tells the king that by the time this child is eating solid food, by the time he's old enough to know the difference between good and evil, he, the Lord himself, will put an end to the threat posed by the kings of Israel and Syria.  Again: Don't trust in horses.  Don't trust in chariots.  Don't trust in pagan kings and pagan gods.  Trust in the Lord and walk with him.  He is with you. But that wasn't the end of it.  The Lord later sent Isaiah back to the king.  This time a woman referred to as “the prophetess”—probably Isaiah's wife—had borne a son named Maher-shalal-hash-baz, which means “the spoil speeds, the prey hastens”.  The Lord's message was again for Ahaz to trust in him.  Before this child was old enough to say the words “father” and “mother” the Lord would deal with the threat of Israel and Syria.  Again, don't trust in pagan kings and pagan gods, trust in the Lord.  “God is with us,” declared Isaiah.  “The Lord of hosts, him you shall regard as holy; let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.  He will become a sanctuary, a stone one strikes against; for both houses of Israel he will become a rock one stumbles over—a trap and a snare for the inhabitants of Jerusalem.” Now, is the Lord faithful?  Does he do what he promises?  Of course.  What the Lord promised was exactly what happened.  In a short time the king of Assyria crushed Syria and Israel.  The northern Jewish kingdom was destroyed and the people scattered.  The Lord delivered the people of Judah.  Ahaz, not surprisingly being the wicked king he was, made an alliance with Assyria anyway and brought the worship of the Assyrian gods to Israel.  But his son, Hezekiah, saw what the Lord had done.  Hezekiah, when he succeeded his father, trusted the Lord and spent his reign trying to undo the evil his father had done.  When the Assyrians laid siege to Jerusalem thirty years later and the enemy soldiers taunted the Judahites to give up on their God and the enemy commander delivered a letter demanding Hezekiah's surrender, Hezekiah took that letter to the temple and knelt in prayer before the Lord.  He entrusted himself and his people to the God he knew to be faithful.  And that night the Lord unleashed a plague on the Assyrian army that wiped them out. More often than not, when the New Testament writers wanted to recall the Lord's faithfulness or the Lord's deliverance, they drew on the story of the Exodus.  It makes sense.  The Exodus was the great story of the Lord's faithfulness to his promises and of his deliverance of his people.  It set the pattern.  But it wasn't the only story in Israel's history that puts the Lord's faithfulness and deliverance on display.  As St. Matthew tells us about the birth of Jesus in today's Gospel, he quotes from Isaiah's prophesy to Ahaz in order to put Jesus in perspective.  Remember that Matthew was writing his Gospel for the benefit of his fellow Jews and so he regularly recalls their scriptures and their story to show that what the God of Israel was doing in Jesus was part of their story—in fact, that what God was doing in and through Jesus was the culmination of the story of Israel. And so Matthew reminds the people that when Jesus was born, his people were living in dark days—not all that unlike the dark days of Isaiah and Ahaz.  They'd returned from exile in Babylon, but they were still ruled by foreign, pagan kings.  It was like the exile had never really ended.  Most notably, the Lord's presence had never returned to the temple.  God was absent and the people longed for his return, not just because he would set everything to rights, but so that they could again live in his presence.  And so it should be no wonder that Matthew pulls this story about the baby, Immanuel, “God with us”, that he pulls it out from Israel's past and into the present day. So Matthew begins his Gospel with the genealogy of Joseph.  I used to read that genealogy as a kid, stumbling through all the names, and wondered why it was so important.  In part, Matthew wanted to show the kingly lineage of Joseph.  Even though he wasn't an important man, he was a descendant of Abraham and of David.  But at least as important as that is the way Matthew selectively structures his genealogy.  As he says in verse 17: fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen generations from David to the Exile, and fourteen generations from the Exile to the Messiah.  Seven symbolised completion, so six times seven and now, as the seventh seven is about to begin, Jesus is born—the climax of the whole list, the one whom Israel had awaited for two thousand years.  As Paul puts it in our Epistle from Galatians: “When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son.” The Old Testament, Israel's scriptures, over and over and over and over—above everything else—highlights the faithfulness of God to his promises.  There are all sorts of themes that run through the Old Testament, but above them all, pulling them all together, is the faithfulness of God.  Humans are fickle—the story also makes that clear—but God is faithful and worthy of our trust, worthy of our worship, worthy of our loyalty and allegiance.  And, after setting out Joseph's divinely orchestrated genealogy, Matthew launches into the story itself in verse 18: This was how the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place.  His mother, Mary, was engaged to Jospeh; but before they came together she turned out to be pregnant—by the Holy Spirit.  Joseph, her husband-to-be— was an upright man.  He didn't want to make a public example of her, so he decided to set the marriage aside privately. It's not hard to imagine the disappointment, the embarrassment, even the shame that Joseph felt.  “It's not another man,” Mary told him.  “I'm pregnant by the Holy Spirit.  That's what the angel told me.  I don't understand how it can be, but he told me that this child is the Messiah.” Joseph knew where babies come from.  This was going to bring shame on him and so, Matthew says, Joseph made plans to quietly separate from Mary—to break off the engagement.  Hopefully he could distance himself from the whole fiasco, save some face, move on with life, and maybe find someone more respectable to marry. But then the angel appeared to Joseph.  “Joseph, son of David!” the angel greeted him.  Joseph was a descendant of King David, but so were a lot of people.  This was the first time anyone had ever addressed Joseph as if he were a prince.  But the angel's making a point: Joseph is part of the royal family—the family from which the Messiah would come.  “Joseph, don't be afraid to follow through with this marriage to Mary.  She wasn't lying when she told you she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit.  She's not crazy.  A miracle has really happened.  She's going to have a son.  And, listen, when he's born, you are to name him ‘Jesus'.  Why?  Because he's the one who will save his people from their sins.” If we're paying really close attention, we might notice that the way Matthew tells the story parallels the story of Isaiah going to meet King Ahaz—to declare the word of the Lord.  Matthew reminds us that Joseph is a descendant of that same royal family.  “Don't be afraid” he declares.  A child is about to be born and you're going to name him Jesus.  You're going to name him “Yahweh saves”.  Maybe we miss the parallels.  As we say, “Explain it to me like I'm five years old.”  And so Matthew makes it very plain in verse 22: All this happened so that what the Lord said through the prophet might be fulfilled: “Behold, the virgin is pregnant, and will have a son, and they shall give him the name Immanuel,” which means, in translation, “God with us”.   He makes this connection explicitly clear, because as best we can tell, no one before Matthew had ever thought of Isaiah's prophecy being fulfilled in the birth of the coming Messiah.  No one had ever made that connection, because everyone knew that Isaiah's prophecy was fulfilled in the days of King Ahaz.  Everyone knew that.  It was actually Matthew, knowing what Isaiah had said and the history that surrounded that prophecy, it was Matthew who saw there a sort of prefiguring of Jesus.  Paul wasn't the only Jew who, when confronted with the risen Jesus, went back and rethought all of Israel's story with him in mind.  Matthew did it too. When people said to Matthew, “You fool!  Don't you know where babies come from?  The Lord doesn't work this way!”  Matthew pointed back to Isaiah and said, “You wanna bet?  The Lord does work this way.  In fact, he's been working this way all through the history of our people.  Our story and all the little details that God has been working out were pointing to this, like little lights along a tunnel, and now those little lights have led us out in the blinding light of the sun—except the light is God and those little glimpses he's given of himself have finally led us to this place where—in Jesus—we see his glory blazing forth in all its brightness.  I can imagine Matthew, talking with his fellow Jews, and pointing them back to the characters and the stories they knew so well and showing how they were little lights, little bits of God's glory revealed, leading them through the darkness to the glorious day of Jesus.  This story of Ahaz and Isaiah and the baby Immanuel pointing forward to the day when “God with us” wouldn't just be the prophetic name of a royal baby boy, but when a royal baby boy would be born who would literally be “God with us”.  How the story of Abraham taking Isaac up the mountain to sacrifice him and the Lord providing a ram in Isaac's place, how that story prefigured and prepared the people for the cross, where the Lord gave his only and beloved Son to die in the place of his sinful people.  How the giving of the law and the building of the tabernacle were but lights pointing forward to the day when the Lord would pour out his Spirit on his people.  How even the Exodus and the Passover—the great and defining events of Israel's story—are now, in the light of Jesus, but little candles along the way, preparing the people for the day when the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus would deliver the people, not just from the oppression of a pagan king, but from the dominion of sin and death. So Matthew's point is this: We need to understand the story of Jesus—his birth, his life, his death, his resurrection, his ascension, his lordship—everything we sum up in that acclamation during the Lord's Supper when we say, “Christ has died.  Christ is risen.  Christ will come again.”—Matthew wants us to know that this isn't some new story that stands all by itself.  He wants us to know that it's the continuation of the great story of the God of Israel and his people, the long story that goes all the way back to Abraham.  And not just that, but that it's the culmination of that story.  Remember I said that the great overarching theme of that big story is the faithfulness of God.  Ever since Abraham, God has been calling people to trust him.  We live in a world broken by sin and death.  We all know it's not supposed to be this way.  And so we try to fix it.  And there are all sorts of ideas out there about how to do that.  Pray to this god.  Follow that philosophy.  And into the midst of the darkness and the chaos the Lord reveals himself and says: Leave your idols and follow me. But why would we?  What could ever inspire a person to abandon Zeus or Baal for the God of Israel?  What could ever inspire a person to give up the philosophy of Plato or Epicurus for the God of Israel?  What would inspire our ancestors to stop worshipping oak trees or ancestors?  Brothers and Sisters, it's the story—the story that reminds us over and over and over and over that this Lord is faithful—that he does what he says.  And we see it first and foremost as it all comes together in Jesus.  In him we see the loving character of God as he gives himself to fulfil his promises for the sake of his people.  And in Jesus we see the Lord setting this word to rights.  The very thing that all the other gods and philosophies promise, but can never deliver—a new age, a new creation—Brothers and Sisters, the Lord has delivered it in the death and resurrection of Jesus: the defeat of sin and death and new life.  Immanuel—“God with us”.  For real.  Fulfilling his promises as he plunges us into the life of his Spirit in our baptism.  Showing he is worthy of our faith, our trust, our loyalty, our allegiance, our worship.  When Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me,” he's pointing back to that story of God's faithfulness, back to all those lights along the way in the darkness that have led us to him—to the full brightness of God's blazing glory and saying, “Trust me.” Let us pray: Almighty God, you have given your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and to be born of a pure virgin:  Grant that we, who have been born again and made your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with you and the same Spirit be honour and glory, now and for ever.  Amen.

Practical Wisdom
Epicurus on the importance of sense perception

Practical Wisdom

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 27, 2024 3:28


“It is necessary to take into account both the actual goal of life and the whole body of clear and distinct perceptions to which we refer our judgments. If we fail to do this, everything will be in disorder and confusion.If you reject all sensations, you will not have any point of reference by which to judge even the ones you claim are false. …If at any time you fail to refer each of your acts to nature's standard, and turn off instead in some other direction when making a choice to avoid or pursue, your actions will not be consistent with your creed.”(Leading Doctrines, 22-25) Get full access to The Philosophy Garden: Stoicism and Beyond at thephilosophygarden.substack.com/subscribe

Philosophy for our times
Nietzsche, Epicurus, and the Santa Claus lie | The philosophy of Christmas

Philosophy for our times

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2024 28:38


Are you ready to discover the true meaning of Christmas?Join the team at the IAI for three Christmas-themed articles, written by James Mahon, Tim O'Keefe, and the IAI editorial team. In this present, you'll find a scathing analysis of the Santa Claus lie, an Epicurean reflection on holiday traditions, and musings about Karl Marx, Friedrich Nietzsche, and their relationship with Christmas!Tim O'Keefe is professor of philosophy and director of graduate studies at Georgia State University. He is also the author of 'Epicurus on Freedom' and 'Epicureanism'. James Mahon is chair of the CUNY-Lehman College Philosophy Department, He has written extensively on the ethics of lying and is the author of 'Kant On Lies'.To witness such debates live buy tickets for our upcoming festival: https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/And visit our website for many more articles, videos, and podcasts like this one: https://iai.tv/You can find everything we referenced here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lucretius Today -  Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy
Episode 260 - The Universe Is Infinite And Eternal And Has No Gods Over It

Lucretius Today - Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2024 54:36


Episode 260 - The Universe Is Infinite And Eternal And Has No Gods Over It Welcome to Episode 260 of Lucretius Today. This is a podcast dedicated to the poet Lucretius, who wrote "On The Nature of Things," the most complete presentation of Epicurean philosophy left to us from the ancient world. Each week we walk you through the Epicurean texts, and we discuss how Epicurean philosophy can apply to you today. If you find the Epicurean worldview attractive, we invite you to join us in the study of Epicurus at EpicureanFriends.com, where we discuss this and all of our podcast episodes. This week we are continuing our review of the key doctrines of Epicurus that are featured here at Epicureansfriends on the front page of our website. Programming Note: This Episode 260 marks the time of year when we are completing five full years of podcasting. Our first episode was posted on Soundcloud on January 11, 2020, and on Spreaker (our current podcast home) on January 13, 2020. Thanks to all our podcasters over the years, and thanks to Joshua for pointing out our anniversary! This week we will address what Epicurus and Lucretius use as the starting point for the discussion of Epicurean physics: nothing can come from nothing. Discussion link: https://www.epicureanfriends.com/thread/4189-episode-260-the-universe-is-infinite-and-eternal-and-has-no-gods-over-it/

Lucretius Today -  Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy
Episode 259 - Nothing Comes From Nothing

Lucretius Today - Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 21, 2024 52:41


Welcome to Episode 259 of Lucretius Today. This is a podcast dedicated to the poet Lucretius, who wrote "On The Nature of Things," the most complete presentation of Epicurean philosophy left to us from the ancient world. Each week we walk you through the Epicurean texts, and we discuss how Epicurean philosophy can apply to you today. If you find the Epicurean worldview attractive, we invite you to join us in the study of Epicurus at EpicureanFriends.com, where we discuss this and all of our podcast episodes. This week we are continuing our review of the key doctrines of Epicurus that are featured here at Epicureansfriends on the front page of our website. This week we will address what Epicurus and Lucretius use as the starting point for the discussion of Epicurean physics: nothing can come from nothing. Full show notes here: Lucretius Today Episode 259 - Nothing Comes From Nothing - https://www.epicureanfriends.com/thread/4149-episode-259-nothing-comes-from-nothing-not-yet-released/

Practical Wisdom
Epicurus on the limits of true pleasure

Practical Wisdom

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2024 3:57


“Bodily pleasure is not enlarged once the pains brought on by need have been done away with; it is only diversified. And the limit of mental pleasure is established by rational reflection on pleasures themselves and those kindred emotions that once instilled extreme fear in human minds.Infinite time contains no greater pleasure than does finite time, if one determines the limits of pleasure rationally. …One who understands the limits of the good life knows that what eliminates the pains brought on by need and what makes the whole of life perfect is easily obtained, so that there is no need for enterprises that entail the struggle for success.”(Leading Doctrines, 18-21)The Philosophy Garden: Stoicism and Beyond is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thephilosophygarden.substack.com/subscribe

Lucretius Today -  Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy
Episode 258 - There Is No Necessity To Live Under Necessity - Part 2 - Conclusion

Lucretius Today - Epicurus and Epicurean Philosophy

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2024 57:22


Welcome to Episode 258 of Lucretius Today. This is a podcast dedicated to the poet Lucretius, who wrote "On The Nature of Things," the most complete presentation of Epicurean philosophy left to us from the ancient world.Each week we walk you through the Epicurean texts, and we discuss how Epicurean philosophy can apply to you today. If you find the Epicurean worldview attractive, we invite you to join us in the study of Epicurus at EpicureanFriends.com, where we discuss this and all of our podcast episodes.This week will be the continuation and conclusion of our discussion on the Epicurean rejection of determinism.https://www.epicureanfriends.com/thread/4148-episode-258-there-is-no-necessity-to-live-under-the-control-of-necessity-part-2/

The Ricochet Audio Network Superfeed
Discovery Institute Podcasts: The Multiverse—From Epicurus to Comic Books and Beyond

The Ricochet Audio Network Superfeed

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2024


Intelligent Design the Future
The Multiverse—From Epicurus to Comic Books and Beyond

Intelligent Design the Future

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2024 17:47


On this ID the Future, Discovery Institute senior fellow Andrew McDiarmid explores the roots of the idea that our universe is just one of many universes, an idea stretching back to the ancient atomists and given new life in the modern era, first by physicist Hugh Everett. McDiarmid then looks at how the idea percolated into comic books and from there into popular culture. He caps off the episode with a reading of a recent article about the multiverse hypothesis by Stephen Meyer, author of the recent bestseller, Return of the God Hypothesis. Source

Curious Minds: Innovation in Life and Work
CM 277: Emily Austin on a Recipe for Happiness

Curious Minds: Innovation in Life and Work

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2024 53:35


When we're looking for insights on how to make friends, manage our anxiety, or just live a happier life, we rarely look to the past. Instead, we tend to focus on what today's thinkers have to say. But what if the recipe for happiness lies in the past, specifically the 2000-year-old past? What if the ancient writings of Greek philosopher Epicurus hold the answers? That's what modern-day philosopher, Emily Austin, argues in her book, Living for Pleasure: An Epicurean Guide to Life. She teaches us what Epicurus really thought about pleasure and why he made it a cornerstone of his life. She also points out the advantages of an Epicurean mindset over a Stoic one. Emily's book is proof that we still have much to learn, for our work and our life, from the ancient Greek philosophers, especially Epicurus! Episode Links The Good Life is the One Where Anxiety Falls by the Wayside The Epicurean Search for Happiness and Serenity Interview with Tali Sharot The Team Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here. Support the Podcast If you like the show, please rate and review it on iTunes or wherever you subscribe, and tell a friend or family member about the show. Subscribe Click here and then scroll down to see a sample of sites where you can subscribe.