5/23/2016

Reaction Paper Greatest Philosophers of all Time

Pamela Louise FranciscoIV-B.S. IN ACCOUNTANCY

Thales of Miletus’ posed a question- “What constitutes the universe?” which made the following philosophers contemplate on what the vast universe is made up. Having different beliefs and points of view, their intellectual responses may greatly influence our way of thinking as we study further.

Anaximander, being a Milesian philosopher, was one of the first to wonder what constitutes the universe. He once said that the origin of all things is the “apeiron” – the source of the four elements. Well, I could not disagree on that because I believe all things has its origin, even mushrooms are brought about by moisture; but the apeiron being indefinite and infinite is another topic to discuss on. The apeiron, which we don’t really know what is, may or may not be finite or definite but we can only figure out its mystery if we will study further what it is and what it is made of. And come to think of it, why would water, air, fire and earth be scarce because of its non-renewability while its source is indefinite or infinite?

He also once said that the humankind is from the fishes. This may be true if the theory of evolution is a theory no more but as a Christian, I believe that we are fearfully and wonderfully made in God’s image and likeness. On the other hand, the Bible is not published back in Anaximander’s time.

Another point he made was he concluded that the earth is cylindrical. I cannot blame him on this because not much research and studies are available in his time.

Anaximander

Anaximenes

Another Milesian philosopher named Anaximenes pondered that air is what constitutes the universe. Actually it is really hard to disagree on this but the cycle on how air is transformed and become earth is what drove me crazy. He said that the air when thinned becomes fire; fire when condensed becomes wind, then cloud, cloud when condensed more becomes water, then earth, then stones. I just don’t get it how air is transformed into stones just through the contrary processes of rarefaction and condensation, maybe this may be true but it will take decades to make happen. Nonetheless, I believe that air is present in any matter even in solid things where air pockets still exist.

Pythagoras

Pythagoras once said that all things are generated from number, that all things follow a particular pattern. In some aspects, this may be true but indeed, there are things that no mathematical computation can support. Love, for example, cannot be a product of computation and does not follow a certain formula to be efficacious. No formulation, recipe nor method that our hearts (though love is a signal from the hypothalamus) can conceive.

He is also an advocate of strict living but because of that I can really relate his way of living as numbered or patterned for he has some weird ways of daily rituals which lead him to being a vegetarian and the first to believe in metempsychosis (reincarnation).

Heraclitus Among the philosophers that have been discussed,

Heraclitus is my favorite. I just find his philosophies factual and applicable to present-day living.

His theory of flux which states that nothing is permanent but change is just as good as fact. He also said that some things must change in order to continue to exist having a river as an example which flows endlessly to be existent. Another great theory of him is the unity of opposites in which he sites examples that might really persuade you to agree with him (example: the path up and down is just the same; hot becomes cold and cold becomes warm).Lastly, the theory of knowledge wherein he pointed out that you cannot teach what you really don’t understand because other people might get the wrong end of the stick or just simply would not have the same understanding as you have because all of us have limited knowledge.

Empedocles Empedocles claimed that everything is composed of the

four elements- water, earth, air and fire through the movement of two opposing objects called love and strife. He also believed that the four elements are eternal while the two forces wane. As his fragment 17 states “…for one is brought to birth and destroyed by the coming together of all things, the other is nurtured and flies apart as they grow apart again. And these things never cease their continual exchange, now through Love all coming together into one, now again each carried apart by the hatred of Strife...“ . All things undergo the cycle of reconstruction as what I understand it to be, like how mountains are blasted to get rocks, then rocks into bricks and bricks into buildings and the cycle goes on and on. I also firmly believe in the cosmogenic theory simply because God (sphere) breathed (air) into us in order to give us life (mixture) since He loves us.

Plato

Plato’s goal in life is to help people achieve Eudaimonia or just simply fulfilment so the following was his idea how to make one feel accomplished:

1. Think more

As Socrates’ friend, Plato, also pondered on the “know thyself” philosophy. He said that we must not be dragged by greatest people’s opinion (doxa) for most of the times they are just errors, prejudices and superstitions. Try to have a Socratic discussion (talk with yourself or with others about your opinion and way of thinking) which will help you strengthen your self-knowledge so you cannot be fooled by your feelings and will also aid you in subjecting your ideas to examination rather than acting on impulse.

2. Let your lover change youAs Plato said in his book symposium “true love is

admiration” wherein you must find a person with good qualities that you yourself lack. It may sound absurd that you let someone change you but Plato once said that “a couple shouldn’t love each other exactly as they are right now.”- meaning you must help each other to be better versions of yourselves. Help each other grow to their fullest potentials.

3. Decode the message of beautyBeauty and art help us educate our souls so let us all

appreciate the beauty that surrounds us because as Plato said, “beautiful objects are whispering important truths to us about good life.” I believe that beauty is therapeutic because we see fulfillment of the things we need but are still missing in our lives.

4. Reform societyHe was the first utopian thinker. He wants a perfect

civilization. He wanted to end democracy but wants the leaders of the society to

be philosophers themselves. He wants to withdraw the rights to suffrage among those who do not think for they are the ones who make the society imperfect. I personally don’t agree with this because it is not the government that needs to change but the people in it.

There are just things that we cannot measure, there are also things that we cannot prove; just believe and have faith and you don’t have to wonder how things are created for we all have that great creator who planned and managed everything that is present today.