Dr Kurt Lampe, University of Bristol, BRLSI, 5th
July 2016
Notes by William Gaskell
Dr Kurt Lampe has a
PhD from the University of California at Berkeley.
Image of Eris Dippis who dumps his fortune overboard during
a journey by ship as his shipmates seemed unsavoury, his idea was that he would
rather destroy his wealth than for it to fall into the hands of the unsavoury
shipmates – Zero Sum Game – Stoicism.
Period of classical philosophy C280BC to 250AD. Stoa Poikile
“Painted Colonnade” in Athens.
Epicurean philosophers dissipate from their usual haunts and
classical stoicism comes to an end.
Modern Anglo-American neo stoicism
B. Continental
This is now a philosophic/therapeutic movement. It was
considered to be pilfering ideas from Plato and Aristotle but since 1970 has
come into its own.
Stoic philosophy is full of metaphor: “freedom as opposite of
slavery.”
The internal conflict of decision making: “shouldn’t do it” but
you do and get fired from your job because of your self-doubt, you are enslaved
by your fear. Self-mastery requires you to act wholeheartedly.
Marcus Aurelius described as The Stoic Emperor
as he was the card carrying stoic type – reading stoic writings. Rather than
Caesar who was a stoic at a time Epicureanism was the dominant philosophy
amongst the Roman elite. Brutus for examples was an Epicurean who converted to
Stoicism.
Stoic philosophers attempted to see the natural order from
the divine perspective enduring much hardship and great trouble to do so. They
thought that autonomy was being part of the universal governing body.
“People subject to defects, malicious and treacherous
because they misunderstand what is good and what is bad [from this perspective]”
which was the essence of Marcus Aurelius’ personal philosophy, and he was often
heard to utter something like that.
No one is beyond being taught something better in stoic
philosophy. Stoics believe mind/soul I heart. They do not believe in irrational
thoughts but believe in learning about better ideas – sometimes because of the
situation some ideas come about which may not seem right in the future – this is
different to Plato who thought people are capable of having irrational thoughts
and were mad.
Michel Foucault
French philosopher who died of AIDS. 1926-1984. He proposed the
idea that power will alienate you from yourself. We can compare this to
Voltaire: “With great power comes great responsibility,” and Winston Churchill:
“The price of greatness is responsibility.”
Dr Kurt Lampe’s insight is make people get involved in
regulation as a polity to avoid the alienation.
Seneca: “People should not be hypocrites to be wise.” Symptomatic
of Seneca.
Dr Kurt Lampe seeks to deliver the best Stoicism Philosophy
lecture so that the audience would love him. But he may gout cut up if it doesn’t
work out and cry himself to sleep. To rise about this type of situation he
conformed to a certain set of behaviours to be his own best friend and be
worthy of having that expectation of himself in the first place. He had to catch the train to get to the
lecture but missed the one he intended to take as his bike couldn’t be
accommodated and so there were obstacles that almost prevented him from getting
here but he arrived just in time.
The point is:
·
Establish relationships – what one controls oneself
and what others have control over
Bernard Stiegler
1952-present
He talks about digital dementia type of issues; reliance on
smartphones.
·
Acknowledge how they are good/bad for us
·
Keep mind agile with mindfulness type exercises,
working on discipline and independent mental skill set
Great quote (he got the voice just right):
“Why are kids these
days messing around with their smartphones?”
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