PRE-SOCRATIC PHILOSOPHERS

ACTIVITIES:
1. Read and study the chart. Studying means that you look up the meaning of new words, analyze the
info, and try to understand it. Go over the chart as needed. Studying does not mean to memorize the
chart without understanding its info.
2. Transcribe the chart into your notebooks – on the first section (not the Questionnaire section).
Note: You will have an evaluation based on the info from this chart.
PHILOSOPHERS BASIC STUFF BELIEF / EXPLANATION

Thales of Miletus Thales of Miletus:

(ca. 624 - 546 B.C.) - was a mathematician, astronomer and politician from
the Greek city of Miletus in Ionia (modern-day
Turkey).
WATER
-held that “The first principle and basic nature of all
things is water.”
- said water was the archē maybe because water has
properties that can be experienced in three different
states: liquid, solid and gas.

Anaximander Anaximander:

(ca. 612-545 B.C.) THE APEIRON = -said the APEIRON was infinite and without a
THE INFINITE OR beginning.
THE UNLIMITED

Anaximenes Anaximenes:

(585-528 B.C.) - probably concluded air was the archē because all
living beings need air for breathing.
AIR -observed, “Air undergoes substantial changes
through rarefaction and condensation.” By
rarefaction, air is transformed into fire and wind. By
condensation air becomes clouds; then it becomes
water, then earth, and then stones.

Anaxagoras:
Anaxagoras
 (500-428 B.C.) - perhaps taught that all that exists is a
combination of NOUS and MATTER. The
NOUS and MATTER universe of matter was set into its form and motions
by Nous or MIND. This mind is immortal,
homogeneous, omnipotent, omniscient and orders all
phenomena.

Empedocles Empedocles:
(450 B.C.) THE FOUR BASIC
ELEMENTS: -held that everything is composed of the simplest
part of the four elements or “roots”: Fire, Air,
EARTH, AIR, FIRE Earth, and Water.
and WATER.

Leucippus (450 Leucippus and Democritus:

B.C.) and Democritus (460-
370 B.C.) -described atoms as an infinite number of
indivisible units. These are imperceptible. They are
ATOMS infinite in number and move without force, so they
give rise to the movement and multiplicity of the
world of senses.

Pythagoras Pythagoras:
-studied the origin of reality and the origin of life.
(580-496 B.C.) -developed spiritualism in contrast to the materialist
schools of his time. He was a mathematician,
NUMBERS spiritualist, mystic, musician and leader of a cult.
-held that the world is made up of
NUMBERS. Numbers are things and in some way
constitute the essence of reality. All things are,
despite appearances, made up of numbers. The
original number, the ONE, being as with fire, is in
motion and set all else into being. Numbers relate to
shapes and all that exist has or takes on shape.

Heraclitus Heraclitus:
(535-475 B.C.) -affirmed that everything is in constant flux
(change), or, “everything changes.
 -considered fire as the archē: “This world, as well as
FIRE all other worlds, was not made by the gods or by
men. It always was, is, and will be, an ever living
fire.”
-held that fire, more than any other archē, reflects
the constant change and harmony that lies at
the root of reality.

Parmenides CHANGELESS Parmenides:

(540-470 B.C.) REALITY = -held that reality never changes. Changelessness is
the nature of all reality. This is not at all obvious to
BEING our senses.
-trusted in his reason over his senses.