Zoom of 26-01-11

Sunday January 18,2026 - Zoom Discussion 12:30 PM EST - Lucretius Discussion - Book 1:136

1. https://www.epicureanfriends.com/thread/4905-sunday-january-18-zoom-meeting-lucretius-book-review-book-one-line-136/
2. Welcome and news / requests for new topics. We’ll continue to deal with individual topics as they occur. Just message me and we will set up an agenda each week that allows for new topics.
3. Every session let’s try to cover questions like:
   1. What is the context of this section?
   2. Why included at this point in the presentation?
   3. What are the major points Lucretius is making?
   4. What are the implications of these points?
4. This week we will continue further into Lucretius starting at line 136.
   1. What is the most clear way to ask the question?
      1. Can consciousness exist without sensation?
      2. Does the end of (new) sensation bring the end of consciousness?
      3. Does consciousness continue after sensation ends?
      4. When Epicurus says that death is the end of sensation, does “end of sensation” in and of itself mean that consciousness ends at death?
      5. What does Epicurus say about consciousness?
      6. Sorites: When you go down the list and subtract each of the five senses, is anything left of consciousness?
      7. How does the Epicurean theory of images relate to this question? Can the mind receive images even when all five bodily senses are inactive?
   2. Descartes held that animals are complex robots and are not conscious (?) Would Epicurus have agreed or disagreed?