Epicurians and Objectivists.

[BaalChatzaf]

I just got through reading a translation of De Rerum Natura  by Titus Lucretius Cars.  It is a poetic presentation of the philosophy of Epicurus.  Unfortunately very little of the 300 books that Epicurus wrote survived,  but Lucretius has encapsulated  and taught what Epicurus thought.  It is  basically a physicalist  supervenience based philosophy. It is anti-religious.  Lucretius was teaching the principle that everything is made of atoms and that the soul is material and perishes with the body.  Epicurus advocated principles that would dissolve the Abrahamic Religions  like acid  dissolves reactive metals. Epicurus advocated that we should live to achieve happiness, and not become victims of pain and despair.  Epicurus advocated non-suffering.  It is no wonder that the early Catholic Church Fathers hated Epicurus and his philosophy.  Also Orthodox  Jews despise Epicurus.  In fact  Apikoros (transliteration of Epicurus)  is a  damnation and condemnation among Orthodox Jews.  Muslims also detest Epicurus and his philosophy.   

Now for the joke.  What  happens when you mate a Epicurian with a puritan?   You get an Objectivist. 

[Brant Gaede]

Or consciousness is a physicality generated by the brain. Period.

Makes  (uncomfortable) sense.

"Atomism" in Wikipedia refers to Lucretius's view as "philosophical atomism" which has ironically devolved into the known constituent parts of the atom.

--Brant

[BaalChatzaf]

1 hour ago, Brant Gaede said:

Or consciousness is a physicality generated by the brain. Period.

Makes  (uncomfortable) sense.

"Atomism" in Wikipedia refers to Lucretius's view as "philosophical atomism" which has ironically devolved into the known constituent parts of the atom.

--Brant

Things still reduce to indivisible pieces.  Except now our indivisible  are -parts- of the classical atom.   Prior to the to late 19th century atoms where conceived of as hard indivisible specks.  It was only after  J.J. Thomson discovered the electron that it was realized that atoms had parts. Now we get down to the quark which is currently regarded is indivisible and electrons  which are thought to be point charges and indivisible