Pre-Socratic Philosophers

Pre-Socratic Philosophers Reality is One 􀂄 Thales 􀂄 Anaximander 􀂄 Anaximenes 􀂄 Pythagoras 􀂄 Heraclitus 􀂄 Parmenides 􀂄 Zeno Reality is Many 􀂄 Empedocles 􀂄 Anaxagoras 􀂄 Democritus

􀂄 Thinkers from the Greek world (sixth and fifth centuries BC) Introduction 􀂄 Thinkers from the Greek world (sixth and fifth centuries BC) 􀂄 Attempted to create general theories of the cosmos (world) 􀂄 Mythos  Logos There must be a good explanation to the appearances of the world beyond the tales of how the god’s had created everything. Ex: Before philosophy, myths explained natural phenomena (the sun was carried around the heavens by Apollo’s chariot; Zeus hurled thunder and lightning from the top of Mount Olympus).

Thales of Miletus (624-545 B.C.E) Sought a common source, a single substance underlying all things. Believed that substance was water: all things are water. Used rational evidence and careful observation rather than mythological accounts to explain the nature of the universe.

Anaximander of Miletus (611-546 B.C.E) Earth (a cylinder) rests where it does because of its equidistance from everything else. The “stuffs” of the world come in opposites (hot-cold, dry-wet, hard-soft) from a vast “Indefinite-Infinite” called apeiron (mass of forces with no specific qualities).

Anaximenes of Miletus (died 500 B.C.E) Believed the first, universal, underlying element is air (pneuma). Proposed two opposing processes of change: condensation and rarefaction. Through condensation, pure air becomes denser: air - fire - wind - cloud - water - earth - stone; Matter becomes lighter during rarefaction: stone - earth - water - cloud - wind - fire - air.

Pythagoras (572-500 BC) The ultimate stuff is not some material element like water or fire All things are numbers and a correct description of reality must be express in terms of mathematical formulas Totality of reality can be explained by mathematical laws

Pythagoras was a numerologist interested in the mystical significance of numbers Eg. Is there something to the fact that music is mathematical and harmonies are easy fractions?

Empedocles (5th c. B.C.E) One of the first Pluralists (those who believed that there exist many realities or substances). Reality must be “completely full,” a plenum, without any gaps; all motion and changes take place within existing reality. Reality consists of six basic components: four basic “roots” (earth, air, fire, water) and two basic “motions” (Love, which unites different things and Strife, which breaks things up into basic elements).

Anaxagoras (500 - 428 B.C.E) Nous is the all-pervading “mind” which imposes an intelligible pattern in an otherwise unintelligible universe; nous affects things without being in them. Things are composed of tiny bits or seeds that we cannot see individually only combined in sufficient quantity.

The Atomists: Leucippus of Miletus (5th c. B. C The Atomists: Leucippus of Miletus (5th c. B.C.E) Democritus of Abdera (460-370 B.C.E) Leucippus is credited as originator of atomism: the universe consists of empty space and simple entities that combine to form objects. Democritus argued that atoms must be so small that they are invisible to the naked eye, that atoms are eternal, and and constantly moving. The void is Democritus’s term for no-thing, no-bodies, or empty space. Democritus believed there is no intentional order or purpose to the universe, no Nous or intelligence guiding or combining atoms.

Heraclitus of Ephesus (510-480 B.C.E) Logos is the rule according to which all things are accomplished and the law which is found in all things. Everything is always changing. Distinguished between appearance and reality in a way that contrasted apparent permanence with hidden reality.

Parmenides of Elea (5th c. B.C.E) Transformed philosophers interest in cosmology (the study of the universe as a rationally ordered system) into ontology (the study of “being”). “What is, is” (being can be conceived of and expressed) and “What is not, is not” (not-being is incomprehensible and inexpressible). Change and variety are only appearances, they are not real. Reality or “being” cannot be apprehended by the senses.

Zeno (490 BC-?) A disciple of Parmenides wrote a series of famous paradoxes “proving” that motion is impossible Is motion really impossible? Are all things One and thus are motion and change simply illusions?

One could never move from point A to B In order to get to point B you must go half way, but before you can go halfway you must go halfway of the remaining halfway, but first you must go halfway of halfway. Thus, motion is impossible even if it were possible

Conclusion derived from the mathematical notion of the infinite divisibility of all numbers, and indeed, of all matter Do we choose Mathematics or Sensory information? Information based on senses (empiricism) vs. Information based on pure reason (rationalism)

The Pluralists Sense experience tells us that we can get from A to B. The Greeks who immediately followed Parmenides and Zeno decided to reject corporeal monism (reality is one). Why?

Because differences exist and they must be accounted for Thus, ultimate reality is composed of a plurality of things rather than of only One kind of thing

Conclusion Pre-Socratic philosophers: Made obvious the dichotomy between reason and senses Attempted to explain reality without religion (mythos) Attempted to understand how mathematical numbers were related to the flux of reality Attempted to explain the problems of the One and the Many

Did the Pre-Socratic Philosophers leave a legacy of confusion Did the Pre-Socratic Philosophers leave a legacy of confusion? Or clarity?