Empedocles of Acragas

Empedocles of Acragas
(c. 493– c. 433 BC)
Greek Presocratic philosopher. Empedocles was a native of Acragas (Agrigento) in Sicily, and attained a remarkable personal and religious importance, being a poet, orator, scientist, statesman, miracle worker, and in his own eyes a god. The legend that he died by throwing himself into Mount Etna witnesses the semi-divine status that he managed to achieve. In his principal philosophical poem, On Nature, he replaces the Parmenidean One with a universe whose changes were the recombination of four basic and permanent elements, air, earth, fire, and water, mixing and separating under the influence of two forces, attraction (Love) and repulsion (Strife). The universe moves through cycles according to whichever one of these is predominant. He also proclaims the Pythagorean doctrine of the pre-existence and immortality of the soul and the contingency of its bodily existence: souls are condemned to the cycle of birth and rebirth by a fall from heavenly grace. His other main poem, Purifications, associates his cosmology and doctrine of the soul with a theological system in which Love, or a principle of organization, is present throughout the universe. Empedocles also held a doctrine of the evolution of the species. The exact way in which he reconciled the natural and the theological elements of his philosophy is controversial, but the doctrine of the four elements was taken over by Aristotle and thence by the medievals.

Philosophy dictionary. . 2011.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Empedocles of Acragas — (c. 490 bc–c. 430 bc) Greek philosopher Empedocles was a poet and a physician as well as a philosopher. Born at Acragas in Greece, he was probably a pupil of Parmenides. Much legend surrounds what is known of his life. Styling himself as a god,… …   Scientists

  • Empedocles of Acragas — See Empedocles …   History of philosophy

  • Empedocles — of Acragas …   Philosophy dictionary

  • Empedocles — *cite book|last=Inwood|first=Brad|title=The Poem of Empedocles|year=2001|edition=rev. ed.|publisher=University of Toronto Press|location=Toronto|id=ISBN 0 8020 4820 X *cite book|last=Kingsley|first=Peter|authorlink=Peter Kingsley… …   Wikipedia

  • Empedocles — M.R.Wright INTRODUCTION Empedocles was a native of Acragas (Agrigento) in Sicily, a Doric colony founded on the south coast of the island in the sixth century BC, which soon grew to rival Syracuse in its prosperity. A line of temples, many of… …   History of philosophy

  • Empédocles — de Agrigento (en griego Εμπεδοκλής) (Agrigento, 495 adC 435 adC), fue un filósofo y político democrático griego. Cuando perdió las elecciones fue desterrado y se dedicó a ser sabio. Empédocles propuso que el mundo esta compuesto por cuatro… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Empedocles — /em ped euh kleez /, n. c490 c430 B.C., Greek philosopher and statesman. * * * born с 490, Acragas, Sicily died 430 BC, the Peloponnese Greek philosopher, statesman, poet, and physiologist. All that remains of his writings are 500 lines from two… …   Universalium

  • AGRAGAS vel ACRAGAS — AGRAGAS, vel ACRAGAS Siciliae fluv. circa Agrigentum urbem a qua nomen accepit. Draco hodie Fazello et Aretio. Item mons Siciliae non longe a Gelâ, murô quonadam cinctus, habens in summitate oppid. eiusdem nominis. aliô nomine Agrigentum; unde… …   Hofmann J. Lexicon universale

  • Fire (classical element) — Fire has been an important part of many cultures and religions, from pre history to modern day, and was vital to the development of civilization. It has been regarded in many different fashions throughout history.Greek and Roman Tradition Fire is …   Wikipedia

  • Air (classical element) — In traditional cultures, air is often seen as a universal power or pure substance. Its fundamental importance to life can be seen in words such as spirit, inspire, expire, and aspire, all derived from the Latin spirare ( to breathe ). Greek and… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”