Modern Research Into Physiology Issues Relevant to Epicurus's Views of Images and Other Influences On the Human Mind

So Epicurus was on to something: maybe (part of) the brain is in the chest

Fascinating with respect to the Canon!

Maybe related, but intriguing nonetheless...

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Quote from Godfrey

So Epicurus was on to something: maybe (part of) the brain is in the chest

Fascinating with respect to the Canon!

We know the mind is inextricably linked to the brain, but I've never been that hard on Epicurus for the chest thing. From the literally "breathtaking" feeling one feels in the presence of awe-inspiring sights to the feeling of being heartbroken, we really do *feel* emotion in the chest!

Can You Physically Feel Emotions?

Emotions are both a physical and mental experience.

psychcentral.com

Quote

Here are some of the more common physical sensations of emotions:

• Anxiety. Lump in your throat, churning stomach, trembling, dry mouth, sweating, shortness of breath, feeling weak or tense.
• Anger. Hot or flushed face, clenched fists or jaw, shaking, jerky body movements.
• Joy. Feeling of lightness in your body, warm heart, “butterflies” in your stomach.
• Sadness. Feeling of “heartache,” heaviness in your body, tightness in chest, fatigue, drooping face.
• Shame. Hot face, lowered eyes, sunken body posture.
• Fear. Dizziness, weakness in legs, goosebumps, fast breathing and heart rate.

We also have numerous sayings referring to the mind-body connection:

• hot-headed (anger)
• hot-blooded (passionate)
• heartbroken
• getting cold feet (doubt or apprehension)
• stomach-dropping news
• gut-wrenching anxiety

Quote from Don

We know the mind is inextricably linked to the brain, but I've never been that hard on Epicurus for the chest thing. From the literally "breathtaking" feeling one feels in the presence of awe-inspiring sights to the feeling of being heartbroken, we really do *feel* emotion in the chest!

The phrase used in Diogenes Laertius 10.66 is:

τὸ δὲ λογικὸν ἐν τῷ θώρακι

to (de) logikon en tō thōraki

"(and) the reason/intellect {is} in the "the thorax""

Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, λογι^κ-ός

Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon, θώραξ

I also found it interesting that just prior to the logikon section, the "a-logos" is said to be distributed throughout the body.

I'm going to have to go back and see how that Scholion fits into the pathē and pleasure and pain, etc. especially since it says we feel fear and joy in the "thorax"/chest.

Not to sound like a skeptic, but to me, this kind of thing is a reminder of how much we really don't know - even in areas that we tend to assume modern science has pretty well figured out.

This is especially irritating in the "how to be an epicurean" genre of books when they get into specific, supposedly scientific, lifestyle advice, psychology, etc.

Reminds me of an anecdote about reading a news article about the field you work in, and thinking, "That is so misleading! Lots of people disagree about that. That's not even what the paper said! The paper they're referencing was retracted 6 months ago!" Then you read an article about a subject with which you're less familiar, and you don't realize it may well have all the same issues.

Now back to being dogmatic.

Quote from Todd

Not to sound like a skeptic, but to me, this kind of thing is a reminder of how much we really don't know - even in areas that we tend to assume modern science has pretty well figured out.

That sounds like withholding judgement until more evidence of available... Very Epicurean