An ecological reading of Epicure’s letter to Menoeceus: importance of an ancient Greek text to contemporary thinking about the relationship between humankind and nature

Authors

  • Edith Deleage-Perstunski

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5380/dma.v16i0.11905

Keywords:

plaisir de vivre, terre habitable, sens de la mesure et des limites, alegria de viver, terra habitável, sentido da medida e dos limites, a pleasurable life, a habitable earth, a sense of proportion and an awareness of limits

Abstract

There are three reasons why it is well worth rereading an ancient Greek text by Epicure: firstly, because
our civilization is marked by the crisis of European science, nihilism, post-modern culture and barbarous
reasoning; secondly, because 21st century philosophical thought is primarily concerned with examining
our relationship to nature, the “natural question”, and the code of ethics best suited to our technological
civilization; and lastly because it is necessary to ascertain the presuppositions and implications involved
in research aimed at technoscientific development. In a letter Epicure wrote in the 4th century BC to his
friend Ménécée, he outlines the rules to be followed for living a pleasurable life. These rules happen to
be the standard ecological ideal for living in harmony with the earth of ours. A nostalgic, utopian rereading
of a philosophical text by Epicure.

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Published

2007-12-30

How to Cite

Deleage-Perstunski, E. (2007). An ecological reading of Epicure’s letter to Menoeceus: importance of an ancient Greek text to contemporary thinking about the relationship between humankind and nature. Desenvolvimento E Meio Ambiente, 16. https://doi.org/10.5380/dma.v16i0.11905

Issue

Vol. 16 (2007): Social Planning and Recreated Nature

Section

Articles

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