Saturday, December 4, 2010

"The first principle (arche) and basic nature (phusis) of all things is water" - Thales of Miletus

Greek philosophy seems to begin with a preposterous fancy, with the proposition that water is the origin and mother-womb of all things. Is it really necessary to stop there and become serious? Yes, and for three reasons: firstly, because the preposition does enunciate something about the origin of things; secondly, because it does so without figure and fable; thirdly and lastly, because it contained, although only in the chrysalis state, the idea everything is one. ... That which drove him to this generalization was a metaphysical dogma, which had its origin in a mystic intuition and which together with the ever renewed endeavors to express it better, we find in all philosophies- the proposition: everything is one!
-F. Nietzsche

5 comments:

  1. ...but not equal! Unless Procrustes had a free hand, that is. :)

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  2. I think he meant "one" as in "all". The "many" are "one" as in Plato's proposition of the "Parmenides" dialogue that:

    "If One is not, then Nothing is"

    ...and so that would include "Chaos"... and the "limitless" vacuum of space beyond our single-song "uni-verse".

    ...and yes, in that same dialogue Plato proved that there are no "equal" things, either.

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  3. Hints of Buddhism, no?

    Nittzsche was fond of many Buddhist principles, wasn't he?

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  4. I couldn't say for sure, I never studied Buddhism, but I believe that you are correct in stating that Nietzsche did.

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  5. I suspect Sarah saw one too many "Predator" movies.

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