Ideas of Heraclitus, by Theme

[Greek, c.540 - 480 BCE, Born and lived at Ephesus, on the coast of modern Turkey]

green numbers give full details    |    back to list of philosophers    |     expand these ideas
1. Philosophy / A. Wisdom / 2. Wise People
421 Men who love wisdom must be inquirers into very many things indeed
1. Philosophy / D. Nature of Philosophy / 2. Invocation to Philosophy
1491 Everyone has the potential for self-knowledge and sound thinking
1. Philosophy / D. Nature of Philosophy / 7. Despair over Philosophy
5863 Reason is eternal, but men are foolish
2. Reason / A. Nature of Reason / 2. Logos
414 Logos is common to all, but most people live as if they have a private understanding
2. Reason / B. Laws of Thought / 5. Opposites
425 A thing can have opposing tensions but be in harmony, like a lyre
416 Beautiful harmony comes from things that are in opposition to one another
5. Theory of Logic / D. Assumptions for Logic / 2. Excluded Middle
1312 If everything is and isn't then everything is true, and a midway between true and false makes everything false [Aristotle]
8. Modes of Existence / C. Powers and Dispositions / 4. Powers as Essence
15658 The hidden harmony is stronger than the visible
9. Objects / A. Existence of Objects / 6. Nihilism about Objects
13782 Everything gives way, and nothing stands fast
9. Objects / B. Unity of Objects / 3. Unity Problems / e. Vague objects
11853 A mixed drink separates if it is not stirred
9. Objects / E. Objects over Time / 8. Continuity of Rivers
427 It is not possible to step twice into the same river
11091 You can bathe in the same river twice, but not in the same river stage [Quine]
9. Objects / E. Objects over Time / 13. No Identity over Time
2064 If flux is continuous, then lack of change can't be a property, so everything changes in every possible way [Plato]
12. Knowledge Sources / C. Rationalism / 1. Rationalism
430 Senses are no use if the soul is corrupt
12. Knowledge Sources / D. Empiricism / 4. Pro-Empiricism
1500 When we sleep, reason closes down as the senses do [Sext.Empiricus]
13. Knowledge Criteria / E. Relativism / 1. Relativism
417 Donkeys prefer chaff to gold
426 Sea water is life-giving for fish, but not for people
13. Knowledge Criteria / E. Relativism / 3. Subjectivism
431 Health, feeding and rest are only made good by disease, hunger and weariness
22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 1. Nature of Ethics / e. Ethical cognitivism
429 To God (though not to humans) all things are beautiful and good and just
22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 1. Nature of Ethics / h. Against ethics
12294 Good and evil are the same thing [Aristotle]
22. Metaethics / B. Value / 1. Nature of Value / e. Means and ends
419 If one does not hope, one will not find the unhoped-for, since nothing leads to it
22. Metaethics / C. The Good / 1. Goodness / f. Good as pleasure
415 If happiness is bodily pleasure, then oxen are happy when they have vetch to eat
22. Metaethics / C. The Good / 3. Pleasure / f. Dangers of pleasure
5155 It is hard to fight against emotion, but harder still to fight against pleasure
23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 2. Elements of Virtue Theory / e. Character
433 For man character is destiny
25. Social Practice / D. Justice / 2. The Law / b. Rule of law
422 The people should fight for the law as if for their city-wall
26. Natural Theory / A. Speculations on Nature / 6. Early Matter Theories / c. Ultimate substances
614 Heraclitus said sometimes everything becomes fire [Aristotle]
26. Natural Theory / A. Speculations on Nature / 6. Early Matter Theories / e. The One
424 Reason tells us that all things are one
26. Natural Theory / A. Speculations on Nature / 6. Early Matter Theories / f. Ancient elements
5096 Heraclitus says that at some time everything becomes fire [Aristotle]
17539 The sayings of Heraclitus are still correct, if we replace 'fire' with 'energy' [Heisenberg]
3054 Heraclitus said fire could be transformed to create the other lower elements [Diog. Laertius]
26. Natural Theory / B. Natural Kinds / 4. Source of Kinds
15660 Logos is the source of everything, and my theories separate and explain each nature
27. Natural Reality / A. Classical Physics / 1. Mechanics / a. Explaining movement
12269 All things are in a state of motion [Aristotle]
27. Natural Reality / E. Cosmology / 2. Eternal Universe
420 The cosmos is eternal not created, and is an ever-living and changing fire
28. God / B. Proving God / 3. Proofs of Evidence / b. Teleological Proof
1499 Heraclitus says intelligence draws on divine reason [Sext.Empiricus]
29. Religion / A. Polytheistic Religion / 2. Greek Polytheism
15659 Purifying yourself with blood is as crazy as using mud to wash off mud
29. Religion / D. Religious Issues / 1. Religious Commitment / a. Religious Belief
1501 In their ignorance people pray to statues, which is like talking to a house