Epicurean Transmission Or Parádosis, Between The Protreptikós Lógos And The Paraínesis

Authors

Keywords:

Epicurus, Transmission, Protreptic, Parenetic, Practical Wisdom

Abstract

At the beginning of the Letter to Menoeceus can be interpreted as a protreptikós lógos. However, the rest of the letter conforms to the pattern of parainesis which is the series of advice that a Master offered to his disciples, who had adhered to his philosophical school. Following this standpoint, Epicurus reminds Menoeceus of the exercise of the way of life he had chosen and the schemes (týpoi) of philosophy. This article intends to show that in the Letter to Menoeceus, both protreptikós lógos and paraínesis work as forms of transmission. By the analysis of the passages in which Epicurus refers that human beings must discover the end of nature (tò tês phýseos télos), which consists in knowing that good things (tò tón agathón péras) have a limit as well as the painful ones. The best-known formula of Epicurean ethics will also be analyzed, often called in secondary literature the tetraphármakos (quadruple medicine): “God presents no fears, death no worries. And while good is readily attainable, evil is readily endurable.” The aim of the research will be to point out that for Epicurus, the greatest source of pleasure (hedoné) is the virtue of practical wisdom (phrónesis). Connected to this, I argue that the Epicurean transmission (parádosis) used the protreptic (protreptikós lógos) and parenetic (paraínesis) discourse to urge the disciples the cultivation of phrónesis.

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Author Biography

Jorge Fernando Navarro, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y técnicas

FERNANDO NAVARRO es Magíster en Ciencias Sociales y Humanas con mención Filosofía Política (UNQ). Profesional de apoyo a la Investigación ISHIR, CONICET-UNR. Docente en la Escuela Superior de Museología (Rosario) y en Profesorados de Formación Docente (Rosario). Ha participado en diversos proyectos de investigación, congresos y jornadas en el área de filosofía helenística. Correo electrónico: navarro@ishir-conicet.gov.ar

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Published

2023-12-12

How to Cite

Navarro, J. F. (2023). Epicurean Transmission Or Parádosis, Between The Protreptikós Lógos And The Paraínesis. Páginas De Filosofía, 24(27), 77–103. Retrieved from https://revele.uncoma.edu.ar/index.php/filosofia/article/view/5550

Issue

Section

Dossier “Educación y afectos en la Antigüedad”

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