PD 16: Against The Worship of Fortune

Chance steals only a bit into the life of a wise person: for throughout the complete span of his life the greatest and most important matters have been, are, and will be directed by the power of reason.

One pragmatic method of exegesis is to think of a doctrine in terms of how we connect theory and practice. This helps us to make philosophy tangible. How can we carry out experiments with this doctrine? How is this practiced?

Sages do not need Chance to be happy. This PD does not directly forbid the use of oracles like the runes, Ifa, the Tarot cards, or the prophetic utterances of the monotheists … perhaps as entertainment they’re acceptable, or for things outside “the most important matters”, but from the way it’s worded, we could infer that for all practical purposes there’s a taboo against consulting oracles for true disciples of Epicurus.

One other thing must be noted in this (and many other passages): the expectations that the founders had of sages or even of philosophers were distinct from the expectations they had of average people. The average person is superstitious and waits for Chance to deliver blessings, and the common person considers this happiness. A sage, or a good Epicurean philosopher, must become the cause of his or her own pleasure / happiness.

In the Epistle to Menoeceus, we read that Epicurus also argues that the misfortune of the wise is better than the fortune of fools. Elsewhere in Vatican Saying 47, we see instructions to laugh with derision at Fortune.

I have anticipated thee, Fortune, and entrenched myself against all thy secret attacks. And I will not give myself up as captive to thee or to any other circumstance; but when it is time for me to go, spitting contempt on life and on those who vainly cling to it, I will leave life crying aloud a glorious triumph-song that I have lived well.

It is clear that the attitude of the Epicurean towards fate, destiny, and particularly towards Fortune as a Goddess (or God, when used as an euphemism for Fortune or Chance itself) is one of triumphal derision and mockery. Certainly the attitude is not one of reverence towards Fortuna or Chance. We see, as we see elsewhere, that what is blasphemous for the Epicurean can be worthy of reverence for the common person, while Epicurean doctrines are blasphemous to the average person.

Another way to connect theory and practice, in this doctrine, is to make plans, to leverage whatever control we have over situations. We may ask ourselves what we are trying to accomplish, apply hedonic calculus, and develop a plan. Norman DeWitt said that, while philosophers in general consider that the unexamined life is not worth living, the Epicureans consider that the unplanned life is not worth living.

There are additional literary resources that demonstrate this. Alexander the Oracle Monger contains comical depictions of what may happen when people fall for oracle peddlers. The entire work is about mocking Fortune-tellers, and the short novel could be seen as an exercise in the practice of both PD 16 and VS 47. Finally, as for cultural output, the song O Fortuna pours into verse the feelings of the Epicurean: