Overview
Response #1
Epicurus was an ancient Greek Philosopher who discovered the meaning of happiness by observing the lifestyle of gratification he explains life, death, wealth, and god his theory of happiness is filled with positivity, love, and compassion Epicurus clarifies the virtue of happiness is often viewed with egotistical pleasures regarding the desire of romantic fornication, excessive financial stability, and materialistic desire that can affect our vision of becoming mentally, physically, and spiritually centered he also clarifies that death is redundant to fear without death there is no reason to enjoy life if immortality were possible we would lose the purpose of our lives.
In the reading Epicurus stated, “While, therefore, all pleasure because it is naturally akin to us is good, not all pleasure is choiceworthy, just as all pain is an evil but all pain is not to be shunned” (Hicks 171). Pleasure can be delightful but, only if it is balanced it’s best to reflect on our impulsive choices before we regret them, and as traumatic pain is, it also allows us to grow in ways we wouldn’t have if we didn't go through pain.
The hermeneutic circle is the understanding of Epicurus’ discovery of happiness in platonic relationships. Simplicity should confide to a school with books, minimal food, less access to modern efficiency, working less, and finding your own passion within your personal means without being confined to labor wealth cannot be solely based on luxury; it can come in many forms with simplicity regarding clothes on your back, a home to live in, food to eat, and friends to genuinely love. The only being who should have immortality is God because he is our protector as his children we must be able to depend on his guidance. In my own experience I realized the happiness that I once felt before understanding priorities, and responsibilities were limited pleasures even though I would love to see my life long friends as frequent as I possibly can I cannot disregard my priorities I currently have, to go see them but I keep in contact with them everyday. Although finding your happiness is a profound discovery as we become of age our happiness fluctuates given the state of mind we may be in, what once made us happy may no longer fulfill us as we become the person we desire to become.
Source: Hicks, Robert Drew, Stoic and Epicurean. New York, Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1910. Page 171. https://archive.org/details/stoicandepicurea002438mbp/page/n197/mode/2up
response #2
Good afternoon everyone,
Julian of Norwich was a woman who enclosed herself into a small confined room. Julian in specific was the name of the church that she had, had her encounters with God. People have claimed that at a young age she had a desire to suffer and have encounters with God. In one of her encounters she had experienced several or rather unusual events that might frighten a person. Although she had claimed since she was with God through these experiences she had felt love and safety throughout her encounters and experiences. Julian had stated, “ God is with a man continually, he should be safe in body and soul, and take no harm: and overpassing, he should have more solace and comfort than all this world can tell” (Julian, 1901). Thus meaning God is around a person at all times; although the person should not be in fear that God is a safe space for people. This is not only to be in mind and body, but also soul.
As for the Hermeneutic circle this is an understanding of how in a passage or a para is just as important as understanding a reading as a whole (Ryan, 2012). In a similar manner understanding of a passage is just as important as understanding every para in passage. The hermetic circle in the life of Julian is understanding how and why Julian had so much faith. This was through her faith and her encounters. Although this is also to include a book she had written based on her experiences. This is by being able to understand Julians religion and how her encounters and experiences connect therefore growing in faith as some may refer to feeling safe and loved by God. The hermeneutic circle helped the understanding that Julian was a woman of religion who craved an encounter with God. Shortly after her encounters she then understood her beliefs and was able to interpret her thoughts into words to spread onto others with the same belief. Therefore taking into account her prior life, experiences, and interpretation into understanding and a thought as a whole. From my own experience, I am a person of religion and just as Julian feels safety and has trust in God, this is what many people seek for. In the quotes stated, to people of religion this is what having faith means, being able to connect with God spiritually and feeling secure, trust, and comfort. Although an objection to this is people who do not believe in God or choose not to practice region. The meaning of being able to connect with God may be seen as a joke or unethical.
References:
Revelations of Divine Love recorded by Julian, Anchoress of Norwich, Anno Domini 1373. Methuen & Company, London, 1901. https://ia800109.us.archive.org/30/items/revelationsofdiv52958gut/52958-h/52958-h.htm
Ryan Cordell and John Pennington, Creating Literary Analysis (2012) https://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/creating-literary-analysis/ This book is licensed under a Creative Commons by-nc-sa 3.0 license.
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Response #3
Epicurus dives into many topics in this letter. From the gods to wealth, wisdom, life and death. This letter feels like an old friend sitting next to you when you have had a bad day. One of those days when it feels like everything is out to make your life worse. You missed a job promotion. Your car was stolen. Maybe you did something as simple as crack your phone screen. Whatever may be on your mind this letter seems to have an answer for. What I want to focus on however is the idea of pleasure. “By pleasure we mean the absence of pain in the body and of trouble in the soul. It is not an unbroken succession of drinking-bouts and of merrymaking, not sexual love, not the enjoyment of the fish and other delicacies of a luxurious table, which produce a pleasant life; it is sober reasoning, searching out the grounds of every choice and avoidance, and banishing those beliefs through which the greatest disturbances take possession of the soul.” (Hicks,172). From what I can gather Epicurus is saying to take a look inside yourself. While you may be out partying, buying nice clothes and driving nice cars you aren’t experiencing true pleasure. You’re simply doing what you perceive as pleasurable in our modern culture. It is no surprise that we may think of celebrities with addiction problems and ask ourselves “How are they so miserable? They have everything!” When in reality they may be hollow. Indulging in instant pleasure while chasing fame and fortune; instead of laboring for the fruits that are produced from the deep connections we make with our friends and family.
The Hermeneutic circle came into play when I looked into how Epicurus led his life. Epicurus lived in a house with some of his close friends and started to study why we feel happy. He found that being around friends is a big source of happiness. Which makes complete sense to me. I often look back at times when my friends and I would watch or play sports, go see a movie, or even just drive around at night listening to music. Those memories are what help me to understand Epicurus' intention. He too had fond memories of his friends and found that being with them brought him an absence of pain or perhaps an absence of trouble in the soul.
Hicks, Robert Drew, Stoic and Epicurean. New York, Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1910. Page 172. https://archive.org/details/stoicandepicurea002438mbp/page/n193/mode/2up