Today our group discussed early Greek philosophy. We focused heavily on pre-Socratic philosophers such as Heraclitus and Parmenides. We found it interesting how they processed the world around them as an illusion, and that there was an underlying order to nature, logos as Heraclitus puts it, that in a way explains the "unpredictable characteristics". Some members were deeply intrigued with Heraclitus' view of the universe (our perceivable world) as like fire. It's constantly changing and that stability was more of an illusion. Heraclitus was noted in saying in an explanation to his theory of an ever changing reality, "Upon those who step into rivers, different and again different rivers flow". We found it hard to rule out this way of thinking when discussing Socrates (also Plato) since he also seemed to borrow from this way of thinking. For example Plato's Cave were Plato gives homage to Socrates with an analogy of this Metaphysical world. One could say that they were going back to this pre-Socratic way of thinking. We concluded our meeting with this discussion question; Do you agree with Heraclitus' philosophy that stability is an illusion?
Factual Question: Who was considered the first Greek Philosopher?
A) Anaximander
B) Thales
C) Heraclitus
D) Pothagoras
Thales was born more than 2600 years ago, yet he is remembered honorably even to this day. If humanity lives for another two millennia, will they remember anyone from our era, one who is as influential to them as Thales and the other pre-Socratic philosophers are to us?
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with Socrates and Heraclitus. I love the fact that Socrates questioned everything, and Heraclitus understood that things are always changing. I imagine that he developed this way of thinking due to the people of the time expecting to gain stability through their gods. To answer your question Edward, i think its possible that a philosopher/scholar (of our time) can be remembered. But, they will need to leave behind an extensive or maybe even outrageous(to the mind) body of work due to the fact that their is so much information and technology accessible today.
ReplyDeletePythagorus' belief that everything can be expressed in numbers and proportions intrigues me. However, I worry that looking at everything on a purely quantitative level takes the human emotion and feeling out of life. Numbers can describe how much water is in a glass, but it can't express how it tastes, how it feels, etc. The personal connection we share with everything in our environment is what truly matters, not the numbers behind the stuff.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that stability is an illusion. I think Daniel said he realized how fragile life was as he was driving on the interstate and came to see that at any second somebody else could cause his death. I also have had that realization. However the illusion is put up by man to help with everyday life. I think its necessary to have the front of stability put up. It helps people cope with the fact that they have much less control than they think
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