The Epicurean Way of Life



Overview

You may have heard that an 'Epicurean' is someone who over-indulges on sensuous pleasures, and so lives 'the high life'. Nothing could be further from the truth.

In fact, the highest pleasure for the men and women who lived in the frugal commune founded by Epicurus was to be free from bodily pain and mental disturbance. Epicureanism became one of the leading philosophies in antiquity, was rediscovered in the Renaissance, and still reverberates in contemporary philosophy. The Epicurean—but not the epicurean!—way of life is a surprisingly simple and optimistic approach to a happy or flourishing life, and it includes views about nature, morality, knowledge, and society. Through the study of Epicurus’s surviving letters and other sources we explore the central philosophical themes, and explore how they might be integrated in our lives today.

Programme details

Courses starts: 16 Jan 2024

Week 0: Course Orientation

Week 1: Entering 'The Garden' in Athens: making friends for life

Week 2: Pleasure is the highest good

Week 3: The virtues are a means to happiness

Week 4: The gods do not concern us

Week 5: And neither does death

Week 6: There are (mostly) only atoms and the void: the cosmos lacks purpose

Week 7: The mind is material

Week 8: The will is free

Week 9: All sensory impressions are true

Week 10: The undisturbed happy life

Certification

Students who register for CATS points will receive a Record of CATS points on successful completion of their course assessment.

To earn credit (CATS points) you will need to register and pay an additional £10 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.

Coursework is an integral part of all weekly classes and everyone enrolled will be expected to do coursework in order to benefit fully from the course. Only those who have registered for credit will be awarded CATS points for completing work at the required standard.

Students who do not register for CATS points during the enrolment process can either register for CATS points prior to the start of their course or retrospectively from the January 1st after the current full academic year has been completed. If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee.

Fees

Description Costs
Course Fee £257.00
Take this course for CATS points £10.00

Funding

If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:

Concessionary fees for short courses

Tutor

Dr Peter Wyss

Peter is a freelance philosopher in a small town in Switzerland (www.thinkery.life). He has been a tutor for the department for the past fifteen years, and is the philosophy assessor on the Certificate of Higher Education.

Course aims

To give participants a comprehensive introduction to Epicurean philosophy through the critical study and discussion of ancient sources.

Course objectives:

  • To study Epicurean texts and discuss the philosophical themes that arise from it.

  • To encourage and practice a critical engagement with philosophical text.
  • To become familiar with the key ideas of Epicurean physics, epistemology, and ethics.

Teaching methods

The course has two parts. The first comprises the individual study of selected passages from Epicurean (and other) authors, which is supported by a range of introductory recordings and a set of leading questions. The amount of reading varies, but is around 15 pp. per week; a reader with the texts will be provided (in soft copy). The second part is a weekly live session, which has the character of a seminar. Based on the participants’ interests, we will clarify, contextualise, and critically discuss the philosophical themes that arise from the weekly readings and recordings.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course participants will be expected to:

  •  identify some of the core ideas and arguments of Epicureanism;
  •  express and critically evaluate these views;
  •  have gained confidence in reading, interpreting, and communicating ancient philosophical text.

Assessment methods

Participants can gain credit by producing text of about 2,000 words. This can be done in one of three ways:

(1) by continuously composing a reflective reading/course diary,

(2) by successfully completing a selection of questions that accompany the weekly reading, or

(3) by writing an essay on a topic arranged with the tutor.

All assignments will be tutor marked and returned with brief written feedback or comments.

Students must submit a completed Declaration of Authorship form at the end of term when submitting your final piece of work. CATS points cannot be awarded without the aforementioned form - Declaration of Authorship form

Application

We will close for enrolments 7 days prior to the start date to allow us to complete the course set up. We will email you at that time (7 days before the course begins) with further information and joining instructions. As always, students will want to check spam and junk folders during this period to ensure that these emails are received.

To earn credit (CATS points) for your course you will need to register and pay an additional £10 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.

Please use the 'Book' or 'Apply' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an enrolment form (Word) or enrolment form (Pdf).

Level and demands

The course is suited both to beginners in philosophy and to those who wish to extend or refresh their knowledge of ancient philosophy.

Most of the Department's weekly classes have 10 or 20 CATS points assigned to them. 10 CATS points at FHEQ Level 4 usually consist of ten 2-hour sessions. 20 CATS points at FHEQ Level 4 usually consist of twenty 2-hour sessions. It is expected that, for every 2 hours of tuition you are given, you will engage in eight hours of private study.

Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS)

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support