Heraclitus, son of Vloson, was born about 535 BCE in Ephesos, the second great Greek Ionian city. He was a man of strong and independent philosophical spirit. Unlike the Milesian philosophers whose subject was the material beginning of the world, Heraclitus focused instead on the internal rhythm of nature, which moves and regulates things, namely, the Logos (Rule). Heraclitus is the philosopher of the eternal change. He expresses the notion of eternal change in terms of the continuous flow of the river, which always renews itself. Heraclitus accepted only one material source of natural substances, the Pyr (Fire). This Pyr is the essence of Logos, which creates an infinite and uncorrupted world, without beginning. It converts this world into various shapes as a harmony of the opposites. The composition of opposites sustains everything in nature. "Good" and "bad" are simply opposite sides of the same thing. "To God all things are beautiful and good and just, but men have supposed some things to be unjust, others just-. Scholars place his death at about 475 BCE.
Heraclitus lived in Ephesus, an important city on the Ionian coast of Asia Minor, not far from Miletus, the birthplace of philosophy. We know nothing about his life other than what can be gleaned from his own statements, for all ancient biographies of him consist of nothing more than inferences or imaginary constructions based on his sayings. Although Plato thought he wrote after Parmenides, it is more likely he wrote before Parmenides. For he criticizes by name important thinkers and writers with whom he disagrees, and he does not mention Parmenides. On the other hand, Parmenides in his poem arguably echoes the words of Heraclitus. Heraclitus criticizes the mythographers Homer and Hesiod, as well as the philosophers Pythagoras and Xenophanes and the historian Hecataeus. All of these figures flourished in the 6th century BCE or earlier, suggesting a date for Heraclitus in the late 6th century.
In Heraclitus view of the world, everything is always in constant state of change. ... This is Heraclitus fundamental understanding of the world. ... To Heraclitus, God is something that embraced the whole world. ... Parmenides believed that the world never changes. ... He clarified the rationalism evidently more than Heraclitus did. ...
Two of these early philosophers were Parmenides and Heraclitus. ... Heraclitus believed that everything in the world and in nature is constantly changing, yet Parmenides argued that nothing changes for the simple fact that everything that exists, can only exist as is because it came from nothing and therefore cannot transform into something else. ... This statement sums up what Heraclitus" philosophy about the nature of being was. ... Parmenides" philosophy was the total opposite from that of Heraclitus". ... "Parmenides said that if something is, it simply is, and it cannot be more or le...
Heraclitus of Ephesus and Parmenides of Elea later explored this topic in 500 BCE with their two competing theories of change. ... Heraclitus saw change as the result of two antagonizing forces that constantly battle one another, such as the elements Earth and water against the element of fire. ... Parmenides argued that change was really just an illusion because it would require something to arise out of nothing. ... Heraclitus and Parmenides may have had contrary conclusions toward the phenomena of change, though they did share a commonality in their arguments. ... Both Heraclitus and Parmen...
These natural philosophers looked for universal principles by which phenomena could be explained, which among these philosophers included Heraclitus, Parmenides, and Plato. ... Parmenides (ca. 515-440 BCE), Heraclitus" successor, believed that Being is rational, that only what can be thought can exist. ... Evidently, Heraclitus, Parmenides, and Plato used the basic principle of change to explain the nature of the universe. ... Parmenides, Heraclitus" successor, understood that Being is rational, that only what can be thought can exist. ... These natural philosophers sought for universal...
These natural philosophers looked for universal principles by which phenomena could be explained, which among these philosophers included Heraclitus, Parmenides, and Plato. ... Parmenides (ca. 515-440 BCE), Heraclitus" successor, believed that Being is rational, that only what can be thought can exist. ... Evidently, Heraclitus, Parmenides, and Plato used the basic principle of change to explain the nature of the universe. ... Parmenides, Heraclitus" successor, understood that Being is rational, that only what can be thought can exist. ... These natural philosophers sought for universal...
The most important of these philosophers was Parmenides. ... Heraclitus, on the other hand, was a contemporary of Parmenides. ... Heraclitus pointed out that the world is characterized by opposites. ... Empedocles thought that both Heraclitus and Parmenides were right in one and wrong in the another of their statements. ... He also agreed with Heraclitus that we must rely upon our senses. ...
Among these were Anaximander, Heraclitus, Anaxagoras, Parmenides, and even Socrates. ... Parmenides: How could what is be in the future? ... Heraclitus: I too think mortals are obtuse and irresponsible. ... Parmenides: Me too. ... Heraclitus: We live today as mortals. ...
Plato agrees with Parmenides in many ways. ... "I compared this to what Parmenides said. ... Plato also agrees with Heraclitus, "about the world revealed to us through our senses (122)." Heraclitus believes that the world is constantly changing. ... Even though Heraclitus and Parmenides contradict one another Plato views both of them as correct. ...
Parmenides to the Pluralist, all of the philosophers" ideas can in some way be seen in the movie "Matrix". ... Zeno of Elea, pupil and chief defender of Parmenides, argues for the unreality of the pluralistic, changing world we take ourselves to inhabit. ... Heraclitus also uses an appeal to the Oracle at Delphi, but I will cover that as the movie touches on it. ... , which again illustrates Heraclitus" argument that man acts as though "asleep" and in a world of their own. ... This is a clear example of Heraclitus" philosophy. ...
