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GREEK PHILOSOPHY Astonishing advances in art,
science and politics were made in the eastern part of
the Mediterranean sea about 2,500 years ago. Greek
philosophers were among the first in the West to explore
nature in a rational way and to make educated guesses
about the creation of the world and the universe. This
is why Greece is often referred to as the birthplace of
Western culture. Some of the ancient philosopher's
speculations have successfully anticipated findings of
20th century science. The concept of atoms, for example,
was first formulated by Leucippus and Democritus around
400 BC. Greek thought and values have been extremely
influential throughout centuries and lasted until the
present day. The ancient Greeks viewed the world
in a way that one would today perhaps describe as
"holistic". Science, philosophy, art and
politics were interwoven and combined into one
worldview. Moreover, those who look carefully will find
subtle, but intelligible parallels between early Greek
philosophy and Eastern thought. The Heraclitean fire
resembles Buddhist impermanence, while the Greek Logos
resembles the way of the Tao, just to name two examples. Anaximenses (494 BC), the third
philosopher of Miletus, refined the theory of the
elements later with his original theory of the
aggregates: The fundamental substance, he said, is air.
The soul is air, fire is rarefied air, when condensed,
air becomes first water, then if further condensed,
earth, and finally stone. Consequently all differences
between different substances are quantitative, depending
entirely upon the degree of condensation. Sunlight is essential to live a
healthy life but that’s not all! |