Heraclitus - Ancient Philosopher, Ancient Twitterer!

Heraclitus - Ancient Philosopher, Ancient Twitterer!

By chance I came across an old college textbook on my bookshelf the other day, and have been greatly rewarded by becoming reacquainted with it. It is a book on the earliest philosophers in the Western tradition, known as the 'Presocratics' ('Presocratic' sounds very intimidating, but it really just means 'the guys who were hanging around before Socrates').

Although the Presocratics are very important, and most of them wrote important, influential books, almost none of their writings have survived today. All we have are fragments of their writings that were preserved as quotes in the books of later writers. Kind of like really, really ancient tweets! While it is disappointing to have lost so much of their work, what has survived pretty accessible for ancient philosophy. In fact, you could the entire Presocratic works in a single sitting!

In my opinion, the greatest Presocratic was an Ephesian named Heraclitus. Although a lot of his fragments are hard to follow (to be fair, they are fragments!), many of them are amazingly well-observed. It's even more amazing when you realise he wrote them 2,500 years ago!!

Heraclitus was most famous for his statement that 'you cannot step into the same river twice.' He believed that constant change, flux, and conflict are an integral part to the universe, and often used fire as a metaphor in his sayings. Although he can come across as a bit grumpy, you will find that upon reflection Heraclitus is describing an active, dynamic world where wisdom is more valuable than riches, and available to those who seek it. I find this exhilarating!

Much learning does not teach understanding.

To be temperate is the greatest virtue. Wisdom consists in speaking and acting the truth, giving heed to the nature of things.

Unless you expect the unexpected you will never find truth, for it is hard to discover and hard to attain.

You cannot step twice into the same river, for other waters and yet others go ever flowing on.

It is in changing that things find repose.

You could not discover the limits of soul, even if you traveled by every path in order to do so; such is the depth of its meaning.

Soul has its own inner law of growth.

To extinguish excessive pride is more needful than to extinguish a fire.

Dogs bark at a person they do not know.

Opposition brings concord. Out of discord comes the fairest harmony.

Donkeys would prefer hay to gold.

To God all things are beautiful, good, and right; people, on the other hand, deem some things right and others wrong.

The way up and the way down are one and the same.

In the circumference of the circle the beginning and the end are common.

The hidden harmony is better than the obvious.

People do not understand how that which is at variance with itself agrees with itself. There is a harmony in the bending back, as in the cases of the bow and the lyre.

Even sleepers are workers and collaborators in what goes on in the universe.

All things come in their due season.

So, what do you think of Heraclitus? Let me know!

Posted by Gus Moonfoot
http://www.gusmoonfoot.com/