Aristotle, Epicurus & The Stoics

(Originally Written October 24, 2006 in History I)

Aristotle's Politics

Classifications of Government:
1. Kingship/Monarchy (right form) v. Tyranny (deviant form)
2. Aristocracy (right form) v. Oligarchy (deviant form)
3. Polity (right form) v. Mob rule (deviant form)

Criticism of monarchy

- Individuals are more corruptible than groups
- Problems of succession

The polity is the best form of government because:
- It is most just
- Its deviant form is the least worst of the three

Epicurus

341-270 BC

-Born in Samos
-Founded a school in Athens (The Epicureans)

Physics: Atomism (Atoms & The Void)

Added the concept of swerve to account for freedom

Freedom of the Will:
1. Hard determinism - universal causation and no freedom
2. Libertarianism/Indeterminism - Denies universal causation and affirms freedom
3. Compatibilism/Soft Determinism - combines universal causation & freedom

Metaphysics

1. Materialism
2. The 'gods'
3. No belief in afterlife
- But death is not to be feared because:
A) death brings end to pain
B) death is never experienced

Ethics: Hedonism

Two kinds of hedonism:
1. Psychological hedonism - all people in fact seek pleasure
2. Ethical hedonism - all people should always seek pleasure

Distinction between desires
-Should we satisfy every desire?

1. Natural desires
- merely natural (sex, good reputations, etc.)
- Necessary natural must be satisfied for life itself and for the blessed life

2. Groundless desires
-exotic foods, flashy clothes, vain and idle luxuries

3. Profligacy
-Epicurus condemns over-indulgence

4. Virtue
-Necessary for the blessed life
-prudence is the greatest virtue

Stoicism

Founded by Zeno (346-264 BC)

Famous Stoics include Cleanthes, Chrysippus, Seneca, Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius.

Stoic Epistemology:
1. Empiricism - all knowledge via sense perception
2. Nominalism - all knowledge is particular, there is no universal

Stoic Physics & Metaphysics

1. Monism
2. Mutation (flux)
3. Deterministic