epicure

Use this forum to discuss past Good Words.
M. Henri Day
Grand Panjandrum
Posts: 1141
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 8:24 am
Location: Stockholm, SVERIGE

epicure

Postby M. Henri Day » Sat Apr 23, 2005 2:01 pm

Another of Dr Goodword's Golden Oldies, this one from the Third Day of Christmas Last. One minor point : while we don't retain much of Epikuros' teachings (being an atheist, his works were later destroyed and his followers persecuted by philosophers of schools which held that moral philosophy must be founded on a supernatural base), it would seem to be the case that his goal was not a hedonistic pursuit of pleasure (excess), but the avoidance of pain. A selection of quotes from the fragments we do possess can be found here....

Henri
• epicure •

Pronunciation:
e-pê-kyur • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun

Meaning: A person with discriminating taste, especially in food or wine.

Notes: Careful of the various near synonyms of this good word. A gourmet is a connoisseur in food and drink while a gourmand exhibits tastes more like those of a glutton. An epicure is someone who genuinely appreciates well-prepared food and drink. So, what is a gastronome, you ask. A gastronome is someone who studies cuisine, though, like the epicure, a gastronome also enjoys it very much. The adjective derived from this good word is epicurean [e-pê-kyur-i-ên].

In Play: Epicures are generally associated with food and drink, "Emmanuel's epicurean tastes keep him away from fast-food restaurants." However, the only fundamental qualification for an epicure is enjoyment, so we can easily put this word in play like this: "Jack is an epicure of office gossip." The all-new Alpha Dictionary website is designed for epicures of words; we hope you enjoy it.
Word History: This good word is a commonization (change of a proper noun to a common noun) of the name of the Greek philosopher, Epicurus (341-270 B.C.), who taught that pleasure was the ultimate goal of life. Another way of putting it would be to say that the eponym of epicure is Epicurus. An eponym is the name of a person that gave rise to a new word.

Image
Last edited by M. Henri Day on Wed Jun 08, 2005 2:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
曾记否,到中流击水,浪遏飞舟?

KatyBr
Wordmaster
Posts: 959
Joined: Thu Feb 10, 2005 5:28 pm

Re: epicure

Postby KatyBr » Sat Apr 23, 2005 6:30 pm

but the avoidance of pain.Henri
Ah, my personal motto, NO PAIN, NO PAIN!
I tell that to my caregiver professionals. I say that I believe pain to be contra-theurapeutic, and since my goal is to get well (not their's oc), not even mildly painful diagnostics will be allowed, Surprisingly this does make sense to the ones I've told so far. Try this approach, they understand the direct approach unless motivated by huge mortgages and luxury car payments to perform costly surgery...

Katy

M. Henri Day
Grand Panjandrum
Posts: 1141
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 8:24 am
Location: Stockholm, SVERIGE

Postby M. Henri Day » Sun Apr 24, 2005 8:13 am

Best wishes, Katy, and hopes that you attain your epicurean therapeutic goal : relief from pain. The Stoics seem to have had the idea that pain - or the struggle to retain one's equanimity in the face of pain - is enobling and that pain, therefore, was not to be avoided, but on this matter (as on many others). I hold with old Epikuros....

Henri
曾记否,到中流击水,浪遏飞舟?


Return to “Good Word Discussion”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 49 guests