and explain how they relate (1,000 words)
The term Pre-Socratic refers to the ancient Greek philosophical schools and thinkers from the period before Socrates, which is broadly established as the 5th century BC up until Socrates’ teaching in the 4th century BC The Pre-Socratic philosophical schools, which developed independently of each other, are known for their diverse perspectives and interests. Each school held their own unique views about the origin of the universe, the problem of suffering and the nature of reality.
The Milesian School of philosophy was the earliest Pre-Socratic school, flourishing towards the end of the 6th century BC. Central to the Milesians’ philosophical inquiries was the origin of the universe. According to the founder of the school, Thales of Miletus, water was the ultimate source of all things. He believed that the fundamental substance of the universe was water, and that, from this primordial matter, all other things were derived. Thales’ theory was based on an observation of the changing of states of matter, and how one substance can become another. He believed that since life began in the sea, water must be the source of all life.
The early Pre-Socratic philosopher, Anaximander, was the first to attempt to explain the origin of the universe without resorting to a divine source. He suggested that the universe must have come from something indeterminate, something that he called the apeiron. This term was used simply to describe something unmeasurable, unnameable and limitless. Although Anaximander didn’t directly address the issue of suffering, his belief in the unmeasurable source of the universe was an attempt to explain why suffering exists. He believed that the universe included both the good and the bad, and that suffering was a natural part of the cosmic order.
The Pre-Socratic philosopher Heraclitus focused his inquiries on the concept of change. He believed that the universe was constantly changing and that the only constant was change itself. By understanding this, Heraclitus suggested that we should embrace change and accept it as part of life. He was also of the opinion that many of life’s difficulties were due to our resistance to change. Heraclitus’ ideas were based on his view of the natural world, in that everything is in a state of constant flux and that this flux is the fundamental characteristic of the universe.
The philosopher Parmenides was one of the first to attempt to explain the nature of reality. He believed that the universe is unchanging and that all change is an illusion. This meant that all of our perceptions, experiences and sensations of the world were illusory. According to Parmenides, the only thing that could be considered real was ‘what is’, or the absolute being. He argued that it is impossible to think or talk about something that doesn’t exist, thus showing that nothingness or non-being cannot be thought of or spoken about.
The Pre-Socratic philosopher Zeno of Elea proposed a series of paradoxes in order to demonstrate the irrationality of motion. These paradoxes were designed to illustrate how motion is illusory and that nothing actually moves. Zeno argued that everything that appears to move is nothing more than an illusion created by our perception of it. He believed that motion is impossible since it would require an infinite number of events to occur in order for a change to take place. Zeno argued that since the universe is finite, an infinite number of events cannot be possible and thus motion is an illusion.
The Pre-Socratic philosophical school of thought was a formative period in the development of philosophy, providing foundations for many of the ideas that were later developed by Socrates and the post-Socratic philosophers. Pre-Socratic philosophers sought to explain the origin of the universe, the problem of suffering and the nature of reality through observations of the natural world and the use of rational inquiry. Through their inquiries and theories, the Pre-Socratics provided a valuable contribution to the development of Western thought.