The Epicureans denied that the gods had created the world and also denied that they played any role in it. Catherine Wilson More Quotes by Catherine Wilson More Quotes From Catherine Wilson The moves to contractualism and utilitarianism required some extra ingredients besides mortalism, the denial that God is in charge of the world, and the doctrine that physical and psychological pain are the greatest evils. Catherine Wilson pain evil moving We have to gamble, and sometimes lose as George Ainslie argues; this keeps the appetite for life sharp. Catherine Wilson appetite-for-life arguing sometimes I have to say that some philosophers such as the late Bernard Williams, and I would include myself in this group, would say that tranquillity is overrated as the goal of life. Catherine Wilson philosopher groups goal Epicurus was in favour of friendly sex but not of grand passions or marriage and children, viewing them as sources of trouble and vexation. Catherine Wilson passion children sex Epicurus was not at all interested in what we would call the problems of mass society, and he thought civic politics was just trouble and to be avoided by the wise. Catherine Wilson problem trouble wise Epicurus thought that friendship and conviviality, which require present attention rather than being in an alcoholic stupor, as well as trying to understand and explain things, were the greatest sources of satisfaction in life, so there go most drugs. Catherine Wilson satisfaction-in-life drug trying Epicurus recommends bread and cheese as the staple, and his emphasis is more on avoiding pain than on seeking pleasure, insofar as pleasure-seeking tends to be followed by painful after-effects. Catherine Wilson pleasure-seeking pain bread Epicureanism did inspire libertine culture in isolated sects, but Epicurus himself rejected an ethics of sensory indulgence, and he would have disowned latter-day 'Epicureanism' as a fussy, expensive, unphilosophical approach to eating and drinking. Catherine Wilson drinking inspire culture Leibniz accepted the argument that there must be indestructible simple entities if there is to be a complex world, but Epicurean morals and politics and anti-theology dismayed him. His 'monadology' which said that the true atoms of nature were unextended 'living mirrors,' was an imaginative and beautiful system, and even in many ways more modern than Epicurean atomism, than Epicurean atomism, but there was a reactionary aspect to it. Catherine Wilson mirrors simple beautiful Order can arise from chaos without anyone or anything directing the process when unstable combinations of atoms perish and others persist. In the 17th century, Descartes applied this insight to cosmology, and long before Darwin presented his more rigorous ideas about variation and selection, people began to speculate more openly about the origins of life and the species in Epicurean terms. Catherine Wilson origin-of-life order ideas Aristotle saw nature as intelligent and purposive, whereas for the Epicureans, and the 17th century 'mechanical' philosophers, there is no intentionality in nature except where there are animal minds and bodies. Catherine Wilson intelligent mind animal The life-world of human and animal experience, with colours, tastes, solid objects, is a perceptual effect of massed atoms. Catherine Wilson atoms animal world Even if you just want to make a simple clothing item for yourself or go for a long hike in the forest - something we imagine requires absolutely no resources - you have to go to the store and buy a lot of stuff, and probably use a car. Catherine Wilson car simple long People should be able to develop their abilities and interests and have access to such goods as friendship, artistry, and nature and a political voice. It's possible to be poor and yet have all this, but in a polarized society, and one where culture and adventure have been thoroughly monetised, it is a lot more difficult. Catherine Wilson voice adventure people The higher the coefficient of inequality (Gini coefficient) in a society, the worse things tend to be for those at the bottom. Catherine Wilson bottom inequality higher
