Anaximenes

Introduction
 Was an Ancient Greek Pre-Socratic philosopher
 He was born on 586 BC in Miletus, Turkey
 Main idea: Air is the Arche
 Main Interest: Metaphysics

Anaximenes asserted that aer (“mist”, “vapor”, “air”) was this primary substance
of which all natural things are made. By rejecting his teacher's theory based on
the concept of discontinuity, Anaximenes took a more empirical approach to
understanding the underlying processes of genesis
 Anaximenes believed that air was infinite and divine. He was the first to use
the word pneuma (“breath of life”) as a synonym for air.

Influence on Philosophy
Anaximenes's analogies were key in explaining the uncertain through the certain. For example, he knew
for certain that blowing air on his hand with his mouth wide open produced hot air, while blowing on his
hand with half-closed lips produced cold air, these observations were the key in his postulate that the
hot air was due to rarefaction and expansion, whereas the cold air was due to condensation and
compression. Although in modern times it is known that this is actually the opposite

His analogies often connected parallels between man and the cosmos, insinuating that the same natural
laws observable on earth applied to the heavens.

Throughout history, Anaximenes's observations proved helpful to uncover powerful theories, such as
quantum physics and chemical properties.

Anaximenes greatest influence is not from his theories of matter, but instead it is from how he thought
about these ideas. For instance, his theory of air being the underlying substance was disproved, but
when looking at his idea from a fundamental aspect, in which a substance is capable of changing forms,
his theory was the first of its kind

“The explanation Anaximenes gave helped in the transition of attributing the cause of phenomena to
scientific events, rather than mythology”.