11/13/2023 0 Comments Diogenes laertius on epicursNow the universal whole is a body for our senses bear us witness in every case that bodies have a real existence and the evidence of the senses, as I have said before, ought to be the rule of our reasoning about everything which is not directly perceived. (And Epicurus establishes the same principles at the beginning of the Great Abridgment and in the first book of his treatise on Nature.) For there is nothing into which it can change for there is nothing beyond this universal whole which can penetrate into it, and produce any change in it. But, in truth, the universal whole always was such as it now is, and always will be such. G And if that which disappeared were so absolutely destroyed as to become non-existent, then every thing would soon perish, as the things with which they would be dissolved would have no existence. And, first of all, we must admit that nothing can come of that which does not exist for, were the fact otherwise, then everything would be produced from everything, and there would be no need of any seed. When these foundations are once laid we may pass to the study of those things, about which the evidence is not immediate. ![]() We must also note carefully the impressions which we receive in the presence of objects, in order to bring ourselves back to that point in the circumstances in which it is necessary to suspend the judgment, or even when the question is about things, the evidence of which is not immediately perceived. G In fact, it is absolutely necessary that we should perceive directly, and without the assistance of any demonstration, the fundamental notion which every word expresses, if we wish to have any foundation to which we may refer our researches, our difficulties, and our personal judgments, whatever in other respects may be the criterion which we adopt, whether we take as our standard the impressions produced on our senses, or the actual impression in general or whether we cling to the idea by itself, or to any other criterion. ![]() One goes on from demonstration to demonstration ad infinitum or else one gains nothing beyond mere words. G This method being useful even to those who are already familiarised with the laws of the universe, I recommend them, while still pursuing without intermission the study of nature, which contributes more than anything else to the tranquillity and happiness of life, to make a concise statement, or summary of their opinions.įirst of all then Herodotus, one must determine with exactness the notion comprehended under each separate word, in order to be able to refer to it, as to a certain criterion, the conceptions which emanate from ourselves, the ulterior researches and the difficulties otherwise the judgment has no foundation. In short, a veritable synthesis, comprising the entire circle of the phenomena of the universe, ought to be able to encompass in itself, and in a few words, all the particular facts which have been previously studied. For this clear and precise knowledge of the whole, taken together, necessarily facilitates one's particular perceptions, when one has brought one's ideas back to the elements and simple terms. Now one has arrived at that point when one has thoroughly embraced the conceptions, and, if I may so express myself, the most essential forms, and when one has impressed them adequately on one's senses. G We must therefore, give preference to former knowledge, and lay up in our memory those principles on which we may rest, in order to arrive at an exact perception of things, and at a certain knowledge of particular objects. And here it is necessary for those who have made sufficient progress in their view of the general question, to recollect the principles laid down as elements of the whole discussion for we have still greater need of a correct notion of the whole, than we have even of an accurate understanding of the details. G For those, Herodotus, who are not able accurately to comprehend all the things which I have written about nature, nor able to investigate those larger books which I have composed on the subject, I have made an abridgment of the whole discussion on this question as far as I thought sufficient to enable them to recollect accurately the most fundamental points that so, on all occasions, they might be able to assist themselves on the most important and undeniable principles in proportion as they devoted themselves to speculations on natural philosophy. Click on the G symbols to go to the Greek text for each section.Įpicurus to Herodotus, wishing he may do well. The section numbers in the Greek text are shown in red and the section numbers in the translation are shown in green. Book 10 contains the life and doctrines of Epicurus. ![]() The Lives of the Philosophers, by Diogenes Laertius, is the most comprehensive ancient account of the lives of the early Greek philosophers.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |