Class Synopsis 2/24/11

We began class this Wednesday with a lively discussion about present- day- Epicureans. John Stuart Mill began our conversation. Mill is a Utilitarian who argues that happiness is achieved by seeking the highest pleasure. Mill could be considered an Epicurean because he believes that we ought to act in whatever way that brings about the ”greatest happiness.” The issue with this philosophy, however, is that seeking the greatest good causes egoism because one must define pleasure according to oneself. His conception of “greatest happiness” is also problematic because it causes one the ‘worry’ about seeking more (greater) goodness. His conception of pleasure is kinetic rather than static like Epicureanism. Henry Cydwick, another philosopher we discussed, like Mill, has a kinetic conception of pleasure. Cydwick is a hedonist and believes that individuals should seek one’s own desires. But as Epicurus would argue, many students argued that the act of seeking pleasure will eventually lead to pain. It is not sustainable to spend one’s life and energy always in the pursuit of some pleasure and this is why a static conception of pleasure is important.

Unlike Cydwick, Rousseau has a static conception of pleasure. Rousseau has alienated himself from his community and as a result is sitting alone in a boat out on an island. Rousseau does not mind, however, because he is categorizing the flora and fauna in a botanical journal. Because Rousseau finds pleasure in nature, Rousseau appears to be a modern epicurean. Just like Epicurus, he is in a “moment- a zen vacuum,” as Brian said, when he is in harmony with nature. From Rousseau, we began to discuss Virgil. Virgil was a follower of Epicureanism in his lifetime. At the bequest of Augustus, Virgil wrote the politic Epic, the Aeneid. Because it differed so profoundly from his personal philosophy, Virgil wanted the Epic destroyed at his death. Virgil believed that living a life based on philosophy was more important to living one of politics.

After finishing up our discussion of Epicureanism, we began to discuss Stoicism. Zeno, a Jewish man from Athens, founded stoic philosophy. After reading the books of Athens, Zeno finally travels to this city and establishes his academy, Stoa. Stoicism is based in the rejection of the second sailing. Stoics believe in materialism- the world is material through and through. Stoics deny transcendental existence, the existence of forms, and the ontological status of ideas. At this topic, class ended so we will continue our study of Stoicism will continue next class.