Cynics, Stoics, Epicureans

Several different schools of philosophy emerged at the same time and shortly after the famous traditions of Platonism and Aristotelianism in ancient Greece. The most significant, which have had a lasting impact on philosophy since antiquity, were Cynicism, Stoicism and Epicureanism, each of which offered a moral programme advocating the best way to live and a more abstract physical, scientific model of the workings of the universe.

This lecture traces the main intellectual strands in each, focussing on the differences between them. The great thinkers whose works will be considered in detail are the fragments of Diogenes and of Zeno, the founders of Cynicism and Stoicism respectively, and Lucretius, the author of the great Epicurean poem of the 1st century BCE, On the Nature of Things.

A lecture by Edith Hall

The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website:

[richturnermusic]

Thank you, Edith. A very entertaining and interesting introduction to these important strands of early philosophy.

[josephkania]

Very nicely done. It's obvious that the narrator truly loves the subject matter though she refrains from making the lecture about her own views.

[CarlosMartinez-grrp]

Brilliant! Thank you very much for the anecdotes! Very entertaining as well!

[infinitum]

Brilliant video! 👏 I love how it's so concise, amd I really appreciate your section on Epecurus, because he's still wildly misunderstood.

[ricardobardales]

Superb video! The great Schools of thoughts in the Ancient Greece after the Golden age. I wonder if you could make a video about ancient Greek religion.

[LoudPaintings]

Such a great lecture. Thank you so much

[kevinashcroft]

Yes quite
One can only imagine how the aesthetics stoically endure the endless words of the woe - laden professionals who have become bored with their life choices .

[fraidoonw]

thanks for this useful and inspiring talk!

[josephkania]

This little lecture drives home the timeless utility that Classical philosophy offers to all people. The stuff that these dead people were talking about is the same kind of junk people worry about today.

[Vvrroommm]

**? ZENO, THE GOURMAND AND (&) THE GREAT BIG GUPPIE..UMN UMN.. meant. FISH?**

1)
I could not find this title of this story any place on the world 🌎 wide web 🕸? Is there a different name(s) that this story gives its account?

2)
I searched for this story mentioned @00:13:57-00:14:40 (particularly the words spoken @00:14:30-00:14:40)

The Gourmand:
"The reason we have two ears and only one mouth, is that we may listen more and talk the less. (or !)"

Note: The name of the person saying this quote was not clear to hear 👂👂 for me. Could you tell me the full name?

Also, it appears this quote is attributed to Epictetus which does not sound like the person in your wording of the Big Fish story.

[turnipsociety]

what is the greek word that is translated as "nature"?

[matthewkelly]

Couldn't be better timing for me 🙂 More of this please Greshites

[louisgiokas]

At abut 18:00 the idea of a cyclic universe is mentioned. Interestingly, this is a serious theory today. One proponent is Nobel Prize Laureate Roger Penrose is one.

[robertjohnstone]

Am I being overly cynical if I’m suspicious that 24 people (such as Nintendo Gouda and Naomi Campbell) use an ancient philosophy video to recommend giving your money to a Bitcoin trader?