Empedocles
Empedocles
Empedocleswas a Greek pre-Socratic philosopher and a citizen of Akragas, a Greek city in Sicily. Empedocles' philosophy is best known for originating the cosmogenic theory of the four Classical elements. He also proposed forces he called Love and Strife which would mix as well as separate the elements. These physical speculations were part of a history of the universe which also dealt with the origin and development of life. Influenced by the Pythagoreans, he supported the doctrine of reincarnation. Empedocles...
NationalityGreek
ProfessionPhilosopher
love-is hands four-elements
The force that unites the elements to become all things is Love, also called Aphrodite; Love brings together dissimilar elements into a unity, to become a composite thing. Love is the same force that human beings find at work in themselves whenever they feel joy, love and peace. Strife, on the other hand, is the force responsible for the dissolution of the one back into its many, the four elements of which it was composed.
love hatred together
At one time through love all things come together into one, at another time through strife s hatred, they are borne each of them apart.
men world
None of the gods has formed the world, nor has any man, it has always been.
believe men
Each man believes only his experience.
boys sea bird
For before this I was born once a boy, and a maiden, and a plant, and a bird, and a darting fish in the sea.
hate elements causes
There are forces in nature called Love and Hate. The force of Love causes elements to be attracted to each other and to be built up into some particular form or person, and the force of Hate causes the decomposition of things.