Lucretius

In class we discussed whether or not it is a bad thing to die, if we are not immortal. This discussion was based on Lucretius’ On the Nature of Things, we Lucretius would debate that it is indeed not a bad thing to die. One half of the class argued that he is correct, and the other half argued that he was incorrect.In this discussion there were two rounds, the first one allowed both teams to state points for their argument, and then the second allowed each team to rebuttal against the opposing…

Accessibility As I read Lucretius’ On the Nature of the Universe, I found myself struck by my own inability to relate to the concepts he was presenting; I consider myself someone who is constantly in awe over the power of words and the way they interact with each other in order to convey a point. Truthfully, this text left me with the exact opposite impression of enjoying what I was reading- I had very little understanding of the different scientific concepts Lucretius took great pleasure in…

and Lucretius, Nature of Things, both Socrates and Lucretius try to reassure us that we should not be afraid of death. In Plato, Phaedo, Phaedo is telling the story of Socrates’s final hours from being their first hand. In Lucretius, Nature of Things, Lucretius’s telling his view on religious issues and how he got to his view, poetic skills, and study on scientific phenomena. Both Socrates and Lucretius have different arguments on why we should not be afraid of death. Socrates and Lucretius…

According to Lucretius in On the Nature of Things, a “lovers’ passion is storm-tossed” (Lucretius 50). He views love as a sort of frenzy which engulfs the lovers in madness. It disrupts the lives of individuals as “their days are passed at the mercy of another’s whim” (Lucretius 51). They begin to “die from hunger and general idleness, because they would not do anything apart from each other” (The Speech of Aristophanes, 191a-b). They lose sight of their duties and strength, and instead focus on…

In On the Nature of Things, Lucretius is a sort of doctor, as it were, in that he is medicating mankind to rid them of their pestilential misconceptions on nature, the soul, and reality. His poem is “the sweet, golden liquid of honey” and his stance against religion as the explanation for the universe is “the bitter wormwood juice” to purge humanity of its disease (IV, 13-16). It’s obvious that Lucretius is firmly against religion and instead views the world in such a way that reality is…

According to Lucretius in On The Nature Of Things, the power of nature and science relied on arbitrary mixtures and “indestructible particles” to create life and earthly systems in an limitless world. On the contrary, Darwin explores a variety of topics that portray life as being dependent on gradual changes, variations, competition, deity beliefs, morals, and natural selection. He asserts, “Natural selection, as we shall hereafter see, is a power incessantly ready for action” (Darwin page 108).…

focuses on the social aspects of death as well as the mechanisms and forensic aspects, such as the bodily effects that are associated with death. Socrates is an ancient philosopher that I agree with regarding to his theory on thanatology, whereas Lucretius is a philosopher that I do not agree with. People’s different or similar aspects regarding death are the result of societal and cultural influences such as religion, art and funeral rituals. Ones ideas, views, beliefs, attitudes, and values…

the good life can be reached. Lucretius, a Roman philosopher who followed the idea of Epicureanism, believed that simple pleasures and avoiding pain is happiness which leads to the good life opposed to Epictetus, a Greek philosopher who followed the idea of Stoicism, believed that one should never desire or seek pleasure whatsoever. Although Epicureanism may sound similar to Epictetus, the founder of this system of philosophy was actually Epicurus, who was Lucretius' role model. His philosophy…

Throughout his lecture on Lucretius’ On the Nature of Things (OTNOT), Professor Sills argues over the value of Epicurean Philosophy in modern times, especially with many people’s concern over apocalyptic thought. Professor Sills is a strong believer in Epicureanism and he preaches its values against a strictly Stoic belief that one should exhibit strong self-control to limit pain and hardship without displaying feelings. According to Lucretius, Epicureanism's sole principle, on the other hand,…

Epicurus, Lucretius, and Nagel are philosophers with very different views on death, and whether death is bad for the person who dies. Their understanding of life and what happens when it ceases, is the distinguishing factor. Epicurus was a philosopher who understood the universe and life as being composed of matter in the form of small particles. He stated that when one dies, the particles which make up our existence dissolve and our consciousness comes to an end. He considers what he…