Lucretius and Wang Chong
LUCRETIUS AND WANG CHONG Philosophers, Scholars, Skeptics Fall Quarter 2003 Strayer University Instructor: Dr. ... Lucretius (Titus Lucretius Carus) c. ... In the poem, which consisted of six (6) books, the aim of Lucretius was to make popular the philosophical theories of Epicurus on the origin of the universe, with the intent of wiping out anything like religious belief which he felt was the greatest source of man’s wickedness and misery (Chambers Biographical Dictionary 815). ... Wang Chong c. ... A Discussion of Death by Wang Chong illustrates his skeptical views of the supernaturalism that engrossed the large masses of Chinese people. Wang writes, Before a man is born he has no consciousness, so when he dies and returns to this original unconscious state how could he still have consciousness? ... How then could there be a spirit with consciousness existing without a body (Fiero 169) Lucretius using the teachings of Epicurus tried continually to release man from their ignorant fears and superstitions. ... He felt the liberation of mankind was at stake and that the universe needed to be enlightened (Biography of Lucretius). Similar to Chong, Lucretius writes, Even if time were able to gather up our matter after death and put it once more into a condition it now is, and if the light of life were to be given to us again, this result would not concern us at all, once the chain of self-consciousness had been snapped asunder (Essay). In Book 2, lines 34-36 of his writing Lucretius spoke on luxuries: “Hot fevers do not depart your body more quickly If you toss about on pictured tapestries or rich purple coverlets Than if you lie sick under a poor man’s blanket (Biography of Lucretius) Wang Chong also tried to instill in the Chinese that their beliefs and superstitions were ignorant. In one example when everyone believed earthquakes were “the Dragon King growing angry” or “the Great Turtle turning over,” Wang said: Nonsense-they are the ground itself moving(A Millennial Thinker)!