Skip to content
Epicurus Today

26-04-12

Sunday April 12, 2026 - Zoom Discussion 12:30 PM EST - Lucretius Book Review - Lucretius Book 1 - 329 - The Void

Section titled “Sunday April 12, 2026 - Zoom Discussion 12:30 PM EST - Lucretius Book Review - Lucretius Book 1 - 329 - The Void”
  1. Welcome and news / requests for new topics. We’ll continue to deal with individual topics as they occur. Just message me and we will set up an agenda each week that allows for new topics.
  2. Please help us stay on topic. Don’t be afraid to comment or ask questions about the implication of any section we are covering, but please remember that there are controversies outside the scope of our project that we don’t have time to cover.
  3. Every session let’s try to cover questions like:
    1. What is the context of this section?
    2. Why included at this point in the presentation?
    3. What are the major points Lucretius is making?
    4. What are the implications of these points?
  4. Notes on New Topics / Announcements:

. This week we will continue with Lucretius Book 1:329. with the Void And Its Implications

  • Discussion
    • WE NEED THREADS ON:
      • RISK AVERSION - Kalosyni (in ancient world - sea travel analogy from Joshua)
      • Is “MOTION” what is meant by “Weight” in listing the three eternal properties of atoms
    • Compare to Aristotle - who said motion is possible through displacement.
    • Robert: Question of void is also important for truth value of empiricism. If one, then not the other. Others postulate there are other alternatives that exist besides matter and void. Law of excluded middle is logical issue. Void is necessary part of materialist argument for that reason.
    • Patrikios - Is motion brought about by an external force? Martin says motion has eternally existed. Is motion inherent in the atoms or is it an outside force? Magnetism - Lucretius 6-906
    • Relation of this question to pain vs pleasure - David Sedley’s “Inferential Basis of Epicurean Ethics”
    • Joshua - Empedocles breakdown between love and strife. Aristotle talks about “contraries.” For Aristotle the mean in ethics exists and is desirable. “Square of Opposition.” Aristotle’s PHYSICS near the beginning.
    • we need a thread on the question: Is “Weight the same as motion? Is it appropriate to say that atoms hf shape, size, and MOTION? Momentum is mass x speed.
    • Joshua - Is Venus an example of an emergent phenomena? Piety reference.
    • Kalosyni - Epicurean Happiness Hour project.