1. The unperturbed life has no use for what? 136
2. Epicurus's various physical theories are offered to Pythocles to remind him to "keep clear" of what? 149
3. To say that the time to study philosophy has not yet come is like saying what? 155
4. "Pleasure is the goal of living" means pleasure that consists in what? 160
5. One of Lucretius's better arguments for the soul's mortality starts from what naturalistic assumption? 166
5. One of Lucretius's better arguments for the soul's mortality starts from what naturalistic assumption? 166
5. Please add yours
DQ
- Will all our theories about the universe always be "only probable"? Is that a good thing?
- How confident must we be in our present scientific grasp of nature, to block superstition and supernaturalism? Has science been successful enough to support a generalized confidence that present mysteries will eventually be explained?
- What's the optimal age to introduce children to philosophy? What's the first philosophy text you can recall encountering? Do you know any children who might benefit from exposure to something like The Philosophers Club?
- Do you accept Epicurus's analysis of why people believe in hell?
- Are body and soul one entity or two? (Or none of the above?)
- Please add yours
QQ: Pages. 135-183
ReplyDelete1:If a person fights clear evidence of their senses they will never be able to share in what? Pg 140
2: What does the irreligious man do? Pg 156
3: What is the pleasant life? Pg 160/168
4: It is impossible to enjoy our pleasures without what? Pg 175
5: What is the most important thing for the happiness of man? Pg 177
QQ:
ReplyDelete1. Why does Epicurus say we should make a practice of the things that make for happiness? 155
2. What was one of the chief social aims of Epiureanism? 162
Discussion Question: Do you know any children who might benefit from exposure to something like The Philosophers Club?
ReplyDeleteI recently bought two books, Big Ideas for Curious Minds and Children’s Book of Philosophy. I have three grandchildren in Franklin (ages 7, 7, and 9, or 8, 8, and 10; I have a hard time remembering) with whom I’d like to have a relationship that has more talking and less, shall I say, exuberant behavior. My big idea is to use the books as the basis for discussions of (philosophical) ideas. They are going to enroll in Granddaddy’s School of Life. Once a month, they will read a chapter, and then sit and talk about it with me, in a “focused” setting. I’d like to inspire curiosity in them, and an appreciation for thinking about things critically. What better way could there be to do that than introducing them to philosophy? And surely, at 7 or 8 or however the hell old they are, they are not too young to appreciate it.
There may be a children's book in this project, grandpa, you should write it down as you go!
DeleteOne of the great joys of parenting for me was reading to, and then with, the kids... and going with them to the library to fill up our canvas bags. I look forward to reclaiming that joy with grandkids someday.
Our favorites: the Henry books by D.B. Johnson... the Berenstain Bears... Henry & Mudge... and early on, Little Critter...
QQs:
ReplyDelete1."The irreligious man is not the person who destroys the gods of the masses but" who? p.156
2."Sex is a kind of ____ or ____ ____...," according to Lucretius? p.169-170
QQ:
ReplyDelete1. Any objections to the heavenly bodies argument can easily be resolved by what? (138)
2. Lucretius agrees with Epicurus on the size of celestial bodies but on what 2 conditions? (151)
3. Why should both the young and old pursue philosophy (155)
4. What mass phobia troubled the Hellenistic period? (163)
QQ
ReplyDelete1. What kind of thinking is 'extremely bad' on human happiness? (162)
2. What judgement is on of the most basic teachings in Epicureanism? (165)
3. Who misrepresented the Epicureans as sensualists and high livers? (163)
What's the optimal age to introduce children to philosophy? What's the first philosophy text you can recall encountering? Do you know any children who might benefit from exposure to something like The Philosophers Club?
ReplyDeleteI believe children should start learning about philosophical content along side history, math and the sciences. In public schools they gradually introduce history, science, and math in a simple way that children can understand. I see no reason that they should not add philosophy to that work load. I wish when I was in elementary school, they introduced me to various philosophical thinkers and their ideas. I did not learn anything about Plato or Aristotle until college.
I agree, I view Philosophy as having similar importance to society as all of the STEM subjects yet I couldn't take a philosophy class until I got to college.
DeleteI agree. Philosophy is just another way of understanding how the world works, and school is the perfect place to round out the educational experience.
DeleteWhat is one of the chief social aims of Epicureanism? (162)
ReplyDeleteWhat does death mean far less to us than? (164)
How confident must we be in our present scientific grasp of nature, to block superstition and supernaturalism? Has science been successful enough to support a generalized confidence that present mysteries will eventually be explained?
ReplyDeleteI believe we should be more confident in our present scientific grasp of nature than any supernatural or superstitious conception of nature. I think science has been successful enough to be confident that many but not all of the present mysteries will be explained.
Are body and soul one entity or two? (Or none of the above?)
ReplyDeletePersonally I don't believe in really any form of a soul that I've heard of, but if a soul does exist I would think of it as the same entity.
DQ: Will all our theories about the universe always be "only probable"? Is that a good thing?
ReplyDeleteI personally believe that there are phenomena that we can never personally observe, thus outside the abilities of science to prove or disprove. Though, I do not think that is bad. It simply means that there will always be an elusive bit of knowledge for us to pursue.