Friday, February 22, 2008
Thought of the Day
Ὁδὸς ἄνω κάτω μία καὶ ὡυτή.
Heraclitus of Ephasus
The way upward and downward are one and the same.
This one needs a bit of an explanation due to the 25 centuries which have passed since he said this. The cynics believed in four elements in every object--earth, water, air, and fire--and that list went from lowest to highest, and further that things changed as the mixture of the four was changed. Heraclitus is saying that change up, from more earthy to more airy, for example, was the same as the change down, from more firey to more watery. They were both change. At least that's what I think he means.
Heraclitus of Ephasus
The way upward and downward are one and the same.
This one needs a bit of an explanation due to the 25 centuries which have passed since he said this. The cynics believed in four elements in every object--earth, water, air, and fire--and that list went from lowest to highest, and further that things changed as the mixture of the four was changed. Heraclitus is saying that change up, from more earthy to more airy, for example, was the same as the change down, from more firey to more watery. They were both change. At least that's what I think he means.
Labels: Heraclitus of Ephasus quote
# posted by Roger Fraley @ 6:37 AM 
