Frankenstein's Cat.pdf - University of Cincinnati

II
Epicurus and the Origins of Western Humanism
1. Introduction
As part of its perennial plea for money, I was surprised
to recently discover that the Center for Free Inquiry
was offering donors of a certain level a free thank-you
gift in the form of a small plaster bust of either Socrates
or Plato – surprised because it is hard to imagine
two ancient Greek philosophers more at odds with the
underlying assumptions of modern skepticism and free
thought. Socrates believed that the study of natural
science and astronomy was arrogant nonsense and
received omens and portents of future events from a
personal “demon” or spirit who whispered them into
his ear. Likewise, Plato’s philosophical idealism has for
centuries been one of the cornerstones of both western
religious thought and much of western mysticism.
! As pointed out by H. J. Blackham and others, a far
more suitable candidate for an ancient predecessor of
modern materialism and humanism is to be found, not
in Socrates and Plato, but in the writings of the Greek
philosopher Epicurus (figure 1), for reasons which I
hope to make apparent in this evening’s lecture (1, 2).
2. Epicurus the Man
Figure 1. One of about 40 surviving images of Epicurus
(341-270 BC). This example (actually a double herm) is
located in the Capitoline Museum in Rome.
Epicurus was born in February of 341 BC in the deme
of Gargettus, the youngest of four sons of Neocles and
Chaerestrate. While still a child, his family immigrated
as cleruchs or colonists to the island of Samos just off
the western coast of Ionia or modern-day Turkey. After
having challenged his schoolmaster concerning the
interpretation of a line from the poet Hesoid, it was
decided that Epicurus should study philosophy. Consequently
in 327 BC, at age 14, he began the study of
mathematics, rhetoric and dialectics under the Platonist
philosopher, Pamphilus of Samos.
! In 323 BC, at age 18, Epicurus moved to Athens in
order to fulfill his two years of required military service.
Here he also continued his philosophical education
by attending the lectures of Xenocrates at Plato’s
Academy. However, his cadetship was soon interrupted
by the death of Alexander the Great and the news that
the Athenian colonists, including his family, had been
forcibly expelled from Samos.
! In the wake of similar political upheavals in Athens
following the news of Alexander’s death, Epicurus left
the city in order to join his family, now in exile in the
city of Colophon on the coast of Ionia. Loss of the
property on Samos had reduced the family to near poverty
and his father, in order to survive, began teaching
elementary school, while his mother attempted to generate
additional income by selling charms and spells.
Epicurus assisted both while continuing to study philosophy
on his own. His discovery during this period
of the writings of Democritus marked the beginning of
his growing anti-Platonism. However, his efforts to
further pursue this change of interest by studying with
a follower of Democritus by the name of Nausiphanes of
Teos ended in disaster, due to a clash of personalities.
! In 309 BC, at age 32, Epicurus began to publicly
teach his new materialistic anti-Platonist philosophy in
the city of Mytilene on the island of Lesbos, but met
with such violent opposition that he was forced to flee
to the city of Lampsacus on the northern coast of Ionia
near the Hellespont. Here he successfully developed a
school of followers, including Metrodorus (figure 2),
Idomeneus, Leonteus, Thermista, Colotes, Polyaneus,
and Pythocles, and, in light of his experience on Lesbos,
also took the precaution of obtaining political protection
from the local authorities.
! In 306 BC, at age 35, Epicurus purchased, with
financial help from his followers, a small house and
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