Up@dawn 2.0

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Epicurus (11/4)

In our last group discussion we talked about Socrates and Plato.  We mostly discussed Socrates's death and how it was a very extreme way to die.  However, Socrates was a very rational man.  Even though he questioned everybody's religious outlook, he still kept the church in the community.  Napoleon did the same an he was an atheist.  Napoleon kept the church in France because he believed the church brought peace to the community.
For Plato, we determined that he saw both views of the religious aspect.  He still believe in a being that created the universe, even though he was really close to Socrates, and yet he still believed he that you should seek truth and proof through knowledge and basic academics, with the priority of mathematics.  We came to the conclusion that Plato was an agnostic and also a rationalist.  We, ourselves have been exposed to this, as Plato called it, "ultimate religious life" since we started pre-K.  This "ultimate religious life" is seeking truth in math, physics, psychology, metaphysics, biology, etc.  This was a way to "reawaken the soul to its own self-knowing." We have been taught all of these mathematics, sciences and social sciences.

So for what we discussed in our groups before, we have more questions for our classmates!
Do you think religion is a form of comfort for the community?

We have thoroughly practiced Plato's Seek-The-Truth lifestyle.  Do you believe that throughout our long journey through school that we have truly gained any knowledge academically, not just socially?



For my groups questions on Epicurus:
Why did Epicurus believe that there is no point in prayer?

Why do you think Epicurus encouraged people to gain knowledge of academics and friendships?


6 comments:

  1. 1. He thought that humans were fully capable of making themselves happy and did not need prayer to attain this happiness. Also, he simply thought the gods weren't listening.
    2. I believe he did this in order for people to be knowledgeable of all that was out there. He didn't want them just to accept the ways of the past. He wanted them to educate themselves so they could delve into religion and philosophy with more knowledge. Also, from the text I gathered that he wanted people to seek these so that they may find a true peace of mind and experience pleasure.

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  2. Elizabeth Barnard,
    I do believe that religion can be a form of comfort for people in the community. I think if you feel you are being a part of something that is giving you spiritual comfort that it is a positive thing for the individual self. This in turn helps people to come together and form ideas in the community. Plato wanted to seek the truth from the standpoint of where he began. He studied under Socrates. He wanted to take both Socrates’s findings of true reality and his own and form more modern theories. I think I have gained academic knowledge in school enough to want to learn more and I am able to grasp a concept that I feel comfortable with. I think socially we as a people have educated ourselves and grown, but not in all social aspects. Those are the ones that we as a society have not grown in academically. To understand every person on a social level is better understood with education. The numbers of uneducated people in society is very high. I think we still have a lot of growing to do.

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  3. Elizabeth Barnard
    Epicurus did not believe in prayer because he felt that it was directed to something that was not real. He felt like people should find enlightenment within them and not rely on the false gods to inform them of true happiness. He felt like the act of prayer was a natural response or a form of meditation that humans do when they are deep in thought. He felt like people should become one with themselves and not with non- realistic gods. He encouraged people to gain knowledge and friendships because he felt that that pertained to public order. He felt the community would benefit from social networking and through educated ideas.

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  4. Jared khan8:28 AM CST

    1. Yes I definitely think religion provides comfort for the community. It gives the community stability when their neighbors have the same beliefs. Religion often gives people the opportunity to make up for past mistakes. Also, religion gives people answers to their philosophical questions, whether the answers are correct or not is another story.
    2. I believe that we have obviously learned from school. We are all able to write, read, solve problems, and other things. However, I believe that we could have learned more and would have been more open to learning on our own if our entire system wasn't based on grades. Personally, I want to make all A's every year, but is this because I have a desire to learn more knowledge? No, it is not. I desire A's because that's how you received scholarships and acceptance into universities. Now that i am in college I want all A's so that I can get into graduate school.
    Next class questions:
    1. What are Epicurus' 3 chief obstacles to being happy?
    2. Do you agree with Epicurus that humans are capable of making themselves happy on their own? Why or why not?

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  5. 1. I think religion is a huge comfort for many different communities. It gives everyone a common belief, something to relate or hold on to. I think that religion is often an escape for people looking for answers and forgiveness. I think that religion is almost "too much" of a comfort because I believe it can be used as a weapon for social control upon the masses.

    2. I believe through our academic career we have achieved both knowledge academically and socially. I think the social aspect is stronger though, because not as many people are interested in the academic knowledge. Now days, I feel like academics has turned into nothing more than tests, homework, and deadlines. It's like a mundane, useless cycle of busy work that we are ALL relentlessly trying to conquer. Don't get me wrong, I still learn this way, but it isn't enjoyable, and I 100% understand why some people do not have the urge to continue school or strive solely to make A's for scholarships. If i enjoyed what I learned, or how I learned it, grades would mean LESS to me. However, school is about money, and getting it all done by such and such time, so I work around the clock to earn an A to in turn stay in school. It's a vicious cycle.

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  6. 1-24-2012
    Elizabeth Barnard
    1. (Fact Question) What was the name of Epicurus’s school for men and women of various social stations and at least one slave? (ANSWER) “The Garden”.
    2. (Discussion Question) How do you define an empty space as self-existent? (ANSWER) Empty space cannot itself act or be acted upon, but simply allows body to move through it.

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