clas quiz 9
Why is Epicurus a hero to Lucretius in his De rerum natura?
Because he rescued the state of man from oppression by the terror of death caused by religion
Which of the following was NOT mentioned as one of Lucretius' influences in writing De rerum natura?
Diogenes
Where did the Epicureans meet in Athens?
In Epicurus' garden
Which of these does not explain why the Athenian plague is perhaps an appropriate way for Lucretius to end De rerum natura?
It shows that death is horrible and something to fear, and thus that we should pay more attention to religion to prepare for it.
Which of the following were not mentioned as being influenced by Epicurean philosophy?
Michelangelo's Last Judgement
Which of these is NOT one of the reasons Lucretius writes De rerum natura in verse (poetry)?
To suggest that what he writes is fictional
Which of these is NOT part of Epicurus' attitude toward conventional myth-based religion?
When we die, we will learn the true nature of god and get to talk with Homer, heroes and wise men.
What is the swerve (clinamen) in Epicurean thought according to Lucretius?
atoms deviate from a straight line path by one atom's width
What is the hedonistic calculus in Epicurean philosophy?
deliberation according to what brings the most lasting pleasure
Which of these is NOT part of ataraxia in Epicurean philosophy?
doing one's duty toward the city
In Lucretius' philosophical 'archeology,' what did early man use to woo a woman he desired?
hazelnuts and pears
Which of these does Epicurus NOT say about nature and the satisfaction of human needs?
that if we live by the promptings of nature, we will live like savages, glutting ourselves and growing fat
What is Epicurus' interpretation of Plato's idea of 'doing one's own work' from Republic?
that the wise man will tend his garden with friends
What is the Epicurean attitude toward laws and social compacts?
that they should be based on utility and may be different as their usefulness applies or ceases to apply in different times and places
What does Lucretius say happens to the soul and mind after death?
they dissolve into atoms like the body