Although he does not speak in detail of his political views in the extant fragments, Heraclitus seems to reflect an aristocratic disdain for the masses and favor the rule of a few wise men, for instance when he recommends that his fellow-citizens hang themselves because they have banished their most prominent leader. Heraclitus' criticisms and metaphysical speculations are grounded in a physical theory. He expresses the principles of his cosmology in a single sentence: .
"This world-order, the same of all, no god nor man did create, but it ever was and is and will be: everliving fire, kindling in measures and being quenched in measures."".
Heraclitus views the soul as fiery in nature: .
"To souls it is death to become water, to water death to become earth, but from earth water is born, and from water soul."".
Soul is generated out of other substances just as fire is. However, it has a limitless dimension:.
"If you went in search of it, you would not find the boundaries of the soul, though you traveled every road-so deep is its measure- .
Heraclitus goes beyond the natural philosophy of the other Ionian philosophers to make profound criticisms and develop far-reaching implications of those criticisms. He suggests the first metaphysical foundation for philosophical speculation, anticipating process philosophy. Moreover, he makes human values a central concern of philosophy for the first time. His aphoristic manner of expression and his manner of propounding general truths through concrete examples remained unique.
Parmenides.
Parmenides, son of Pyres, was a citizen of Hyele, Elea, or Velia; a colony founded in Oenotria by refugees from Phocia in 540-39 B.C. Diogenes tells us that he "flourished" in 01. LXIX. (504-500 B.C.), and this was doubtless the date given by Apollodorus. On the other hand, Plato says that Parmenides came to Athens in his sixty-fifth year, accompanied by Zeno, and conversed with Socrates, who was then quite young.
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. ...
