Heraclitus Argument Essay

There are many arguments by philosophers in which they prove which element is the most crucial in life. Heraclitus’s main belief is that nothing in the universe is permanent and that fire was the one and only constant while Anaximenes beliefs included that air was the “one”, and did not believe in the power of gods. Now Thales believed that water was the base substance of the universe. Some argue and debate that fire is the most important, while others say air or water is. So when broken down into each of their elements we can take a look at what differs each of the Pre Socratics from one another and what they have in common. They are arguing to prove which element is the most important in reality and why. Heraclitus was a very influential

His main belief when it came to elements of nature was that air was the “one”, not fire. He believed that air had the heaviest impact on the human civilization as a whole. His interest was in the make up and origin of the universe and the principles on how it functions on a daily basis. His argument compared to Heraclitus was that the source of everything was air and air was what made it a physical substance. Anaximenes states, “Boundless air is the source, from which the things that are were, and will be, and gods and divinities all come to be and the rest come from the off spring of these.”(The Pre Socratics, 13) He believed that air had no beginning and no end to it at all. “It is always in motion; for it would not undergo all the changes it does without moving” (The Pre Socratics, 13), this in it’s entirety explains that air generated the universe through its motion and that without it’s constant movement the universe would not exist to

It is believed that Thales perceived that both the beginning and the end of the earth was entirely water. He based everything that he believed and judged on basic reason and nature rather then tradition or myth.

Thales also compared the elements of nature with one another to see how they interact with each other to create one force. Thales also stated that “all things are full of gods”, whereas Heraclitus perceives that the earth itself wasn’t created by a physical god, but forms of nature. Many agree with the religions and beliefs of Thales; water is the most important element in life. It is necessary to survive, and exist in many different forms.

All three philosopher’s had important visions and outlooks on life as whole. They broke it down into pieces they could work with, and it this case it happened to be the elements of nature. We see them as weather, heat and something to drink on a hot day. But the Pre Socratics went way beyond what they were as a physical object.

Bibliography:

Pojman, Louis P. Classics of Philosophy. New York: Oxford University Press,