Atomism had no absolute 'above' and 'below' and no such rulers, so favoured the undersranding of justice as an agreement amongst equals.
Catherine Wilson'Contract' succeeded 'status' as the basic organising principle in modern political vs. ancient society.
Catherine WilsonEpicurus was in favour of friendly sex but not of grand passions or marriage and children, viewing them as sources of trouble and vexation.
Catherine WilsonAristotle saw nature as intelligent and purposive, whereas for the Epicureans, and the 17th century 'mechanical' philosophers, there is no intentionality in nature except where there are animal minds and bodies.
Catherine WilsonHuman courtship has some wild extremes. At one end of the spectrum, there is harassment, pestering, blackmail, and an abuse of institutional power, which its targets rightly fear and loathe. At the other end is love, which as Nietzsche said, is beyond good and evil and always deserves our respect and compassion even when it is doomed or destructive. In the wide middle of the spectrum are all the ambiguous and tragi-comic goings-on of our species.
Catherine Wilson