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Pluralists: Pluralists: Reality’s Many Reality’s Many Elements Elements Anaxagoras and Friends Anaxagoras and Friends

Pluralists: Reality’s Many Elements Anaxagoras and Friends

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Page 1: Pluralists: Reality’s Many Elements Anaxagoras and Friends

Pluralists: Reality’s Pluralists: Reality’s Many ElementsMany Elements

Anaxagoras and FriendsAnaxagoras and Friends

Page 2: Pluralists: Reality’s Many Elements Anaxagoras and Friends

PluralistsPluralists

After Parmenides, impossible to return After Parmenides, impossible to return to monist explanation of realityto monist explanation of reality

Reality can not be reduced to one thingReality can not be reduced to one thing– Not like Monists (Thales & Co.)Not like Monists (Thales & Co.)

World is composed of many elementsWorld is composed of many elements

Page 3: Pluralists: Reality’s Many Elements Anaxagoras and Friends

EmpedoclesEmpedocles

Like Pythagoras (scientific+spiritual)Like Pythagoras (scientific+spiritual) Expertise was medicine and mathExpertise was medicine and math Theory: everything made up of all 4 Theory: everything made up of all 4

elements (fire, earth, air, water)elements (fire, earth, air, water) Forces of Love and Strife Forces of Love and Strife

complementary and impact worldcomplementary and impact world

Page 4: Pluralists: Reality’s Many Elements Anaxagoras and Friends

AnaxagorasAnaxagoras

500-432 BC500-432 BC First to introduce philosophy to Athenians First to introduce philosophy to Athenians

(encouraged by Pericles)(encouraged by Pericles)– Athenians prosecuted him so he leftAthenians prosecuted him so he left

First to suggest mind as primary cause of First to suggest mind as primary cause of physical changesphysical changes

First to explain moon shines by reflected First to explain moon shines by reflected lightlight

Correct theory of eclipses, sun (hot stone) Correct theory of eclipses, sun (hot stone) and moon (mountains and…inhabitants?)and moon (mountains and…inhabitants?)

Page 5: Pluralists: Reality’s Many Elements Anaxagoras and Friends

Infinitely DivisibleInfinitely Divisible

No new reality can originate, therefore No new reality can originate, therefore everything existed since alwayseverything existed since always

reality reducible to an infinite number of reality reducible to an infinite number of “seeds.”“seeds.”– ““seeds” contain elements of everything and seeds” contain elements of everything and

are in everything (some more than others)are in everything (some more than others)– ““Everything participates in everything“Everything participates in everything“– Particles originally in huge mass that began Particles originally in huge mass that began

separating… how??separating… how??

Page 6: Pluralists: Reality’s Many Elements Anaxagoras and Friends

NousNous

Omniscient, impersonal MINDOmniscient, impersonal MIND– Not mixed with anythingNot mixed with anything

Gives order and constancy to universeGives order and constancy to universe Source of all motionSource of all motion Enters into the composition of living Enters into the composition of living

thingsthings– Differentiates them from dead matterDifferentiates them from dead matter

Page 7: Pluralists: Reality’s Many Elements Anaxagoras and Friends

UnderstandingUnderstanding

Nous is an exterior cause/understandingNous is an exterior cause/understanding– Opens perspectives for Plato and AristotleOpens perspectives for Plato and Aristotle

First time idea of God as principal ruler of First time idea of God as principal ruler of universeuniverse– ““intelligent design?”intelligent design?”

Yet always returns to whirlpool motion Yet always returns to whirlpool motion promoted by nouspromoted by nous

Page 8: Pluralists: Reality’s Many Elements Anaxagoras and Friends

LegacyLegacy

Brought philosophy to AthensBrought philosophy to Athens Rationalist and scientificRationalist and scientific Helped form Socrates and Athenian Helped form Socrates and Athenian

schoolsschools No religious or ethical No religious or ethical

preoccupationspreoccupations Set stage for DemocritusSet stage for Democritus