Cicero's Accuracy Concerning Epicurean Physics, Metaphysics, and Ethics
Open Access
- Author:
- Weiner, Nathan Adam
- Area of Honors:
- Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Arts
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Dr. Paul B Harvey Jr, Thesis Supervisor
Mary Lou Zimmerman Munn, Thesis Honors Advisor - Keywords:
- cicero
epicurus
epicureanism
epicurean ethics
lucretius
de natura deorum
de natura rerum
de finibus bonorum et malorum - Abstract:
- he Epicurean doctrines are a unique set of ancient philosophical ideas that received much criticism during its prevalence. Remains of ‘The Garden’ where supporters and ‘students’ of the Epicurean school met do not exist and the original scriptures of Epicurus are so scarce scholars rely on third parties for evidence of these doctrines. Among these are Lucretius, a follower of Epicureanism, who expanded on and clarified Epicurus’ doctrines in his On the Nature of Things (formally titled De Natura Rerum) and Cicero, an academic and critic against the physical, metaphysical, and ethical teachings of Epicurus. As a member of the Academic school of philosophy, Cicero took a dialogic approach to philosophy, hearing both sides of the argument. Cicero wrote about Epicureanism, as told by Gaius Velleius in the first installment of On the Nature of the Gods (formally titled De Natura Deorum). He wrote a book of similar style, On the Ends of Good and Bad (formally titled De Finibus Bonorum et Malorum) which criticized heavily Epicurean ethics. In my thesis, I examine the main features of Epicurean philosophy and the strength of Cicero’s understanding of this philosophy in order to determine the accuracy of his arguments. This thesis allows an Epicurean rebuttal to Cicero’s argument and determines whether the Roman Republic received an accurate portrayal of Epicureanism from the popular politician.