The Philosophy of Heraclitus - Essay Example

Yufeng Li Prof. Grimwade PHI 1000C March 20, Hero Introduction Many theories that are used today were propounded by great philosophers but in some cases, little is known about these philosophers. For instance, Heraclitus is best known for his doctrines that things are constantly changing (universal flux), that opposites coincide (unity of opposites), and that fire is the basic material of the world (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2007). The interpretation of his doctrines is somehow controversial. As such, the paper seeks to discuss Heraclitus’ flux doctrine and it will also focus on the unity of the opposite forces proposition. Heraclitus’ fragments’ reiterates change is a normal human process. Flux Doctrine According to Heraclitus, the flux doctrine espouses the opposites are united. This often includes shifting or changing from one time period to another time period. As the things change with moving time, our world still remains the same. For example, liquid water turns in to rain, this rain water can be collected and frozen into solid ice form. The ice can be placed in hot pot, turning the solid ice into steam or gas. However, solid ice, liquid water and steam fall under the name water (Heraclitus, 53). Heraclitus believed change is the only permanent activity on earth. For example, the one year child will turn five, ten, 18 year 18 year old adolescent, a 25 year old adult and a 65 year old one day. The description of how the person looks during different stages or age in life differs significantly. However, all such descriptions of the growing person still describe the same person. As to the temperament of a person, it can be noted that it constantly changes (Rand, 6). A happy person at one instance does not stay in the same happy mode permanently during his lifetime. Thus, a student may be happy because he has passed the difficult class tests. After receiving the high academic grades, the same happy person hurriedly goes home to report the good news to his mother. When the student arrives home in a happy mode, his younger sister approaches the student with a sad face. The sister reports that their mother has been taken to the nearest healthcare center and she is in a comatose state suffering from stroke. The happy student’s face suddenly changes to a sad face. Another good example to drive home the point that things are constantly changing is the issue of waking and sleeping (Heraclitus, 85). The person is characterized as either awake or asleep. People expect that the breathing person who is currently asleep will wake up. After the body is fully recharged during the sleep state, it triggers the waking state. The person is awakened in order to accomplish certain human functions such as eating and drinking. The awakened person rushes to find the water or other beverages to drink since the body requires this precious fluid in order to function well. Next, the body works to earn money or find food and the exhausted body goes back to sleep again. The body cannot be asleep and awake at the same time. However, both being awake and being asleep are united. The river fragment vividly shows that as a person steps into the same part of the river on another day, hour, or week, the water parts are no longer the same (Heraclitus, 53). A water compound composed of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom or simply H20, constantly moves to another part of the river, lake, or ocean. Consequently, as the person steps into the same part of the river, a new water molecule arrives to greet the person in the molecule’s new location. As one molecule moves constantly along its path, the same molecule will surely return to the same river part at a future time. In the same manner, fishes move constantly from one place to another in the water. Heraclitus: Opposites Utility theory Heraclitus’ theory of opposite unity focuses on the concept of change (Heraclitus, 85). Everything in our world is constantly changing. For example a hungry person eats food and after eating, the same person is no longer hungry. The person’s hunger compels the person to find food and consequently, the person does whatever it takes to remove the hunger state. After eating, the body uses the food to fuel the body’s activities. It can also be observed that the used food creates hunger fangs on the person. Thus, an empty stomach and a full stomach are opposites. However, both hunger and full stomach are united as one leads to the other. The sea is the source of life for fish. However, humans cannot drink salt-filed sea water (Heraclitus, 61). The other example can be drawn from the case of the night that is characterized by a dark sky (Heraclitus, 85). On the other hand, the opposite is day and it is characterized by the sun appearing above on a hot summer day. The day is the opposite of the night. The day cannot appear for 24 hours just the same as night. However, day and night are united. As the day ends, people expect to see the night replace the day. When the night hours start to expire, people are expected to see the sun rising again. Consequently, the day and the night are opposite but united. Further, temperature is the unity of both hot and cold opposites (Heraclitus, 53). Hot temperatures can decrease to cold temperature, and the cold day can suddenly change into a hot one. A glass or open bottle of milk is placed in refrigerators in order to keep it within the desired cold temperature level. Under this temperature level, the milk spoilage period is longer than when the milk is left to stay on a table at room temperature. If the milk glass is transferred from the refrigerator and left at room temperature for several hours, the previously cold milk glass temperature will warm up. The coldness will disappear, especially in a hot summer day (Heraclitus, 85). This shows that temperatures differ but are related somehow since each state of temperature triggers the other state. Furthermore, the same principle occurs in to hot coffee. Water is heated and it is transferred to the cup. Coffee, sugar & cream are added to the plain hot water to create the sweet coffee aroma. When the coffee is left on the table for several hours, the coffee’s hot temperature will start to decline. During a winter storm, people may say that the hot coffee has been placed on the table several hours before it turned cold but the sudden temperature change is caused by low temperature. Relationship between Unity of opposites and Flux Doctrine The unity of opposites falls under the flux doctrine espoused by Heraclitus. As a recap, the flux doctrine states that everything in our world is constantly changing. Using another analogy to get the point across, nothing will remain permanent in the world. Consequently, the unity of opposites complies with the concept of the continuous change flux doctrine. A person who is awake will not stay awake until he or she dies. Instead, the same awake person will soon fall asleep when the body is exhausted and needs recharging. Likewise, the healthy, sleeping person will not continue sleeping until he is old. Thus, there is always a shift between a person who is asleep and awake. Using the day and night unity of opposites, it can be seen that the concept complies with the flux doctrine concept. The day will only last for 12 long uncut hours. When the 12 hours expire, the night replaces the day. The night is valid for another 12 long often quiet hours. When the 12 hour period is up, the day replaces the night and the cycle continues. Consequently, the continuing shift of the opposites, night and day, falls under the flux doctrine. The flux doctrine states that everything in our world is constantly changing. Surely, the shifting between the day mode and the night mode goes through an unending event. Rising upwards as well as dropping down is the same (Heraclitus, 75). This implies that these two forces though opposite are united. Heraclitus logos Heraclitus described logos as the knowledge or order concept. Heraclitus described logos as the reasoning for why certain acts or non-acts occur in our world. For example, Heraclitus reiterated that justice will punish the liars (69). Likewise, the logos of why animals especially human beings, fall asleep after a long day of activities is that the animal who is tired needs to recharge the body batteries. The sleep state allows the person to repair the tired weakened body cells. Likewise, the logos of why the day crops up after the night starts to end its 12 hour time period is that the earth revolves around the sun. Further, Heraclitus’ logos focuses on why the river is constantly changing is because the water molecules are constantly moving (Heraclitus, 53). The logos (reason) why the cold temperature is opposite to the hot temperature is because the hot temperature is higher than the cold temperature. When the hot coffee starts to become cool, the hot coffee’s temperature begins to decline. On the other hand, the temperature of the frozen yogurt starts to rise when it is transferred from the cold refrigerator to the room temperature table. The temperature of the cold yogurt starts to rise. Since the rising of the temperature (warming up of the cold yogurt) is opposite to the declining temperature (cooling down of the hot coffee), both hot and cold temperature are opposites. Since hot and cold substances’ temperature changes when transferred from one location to another location with a different room temperature, the current situation qualifies as falling under the flux doctrine, a doctrine emphasizing change regularly occurs in our world. Heraclitean One The other concept of Heraclitus states that the world of the waking is shared as well as classified as united (Heraclitus, 45). All individuals from different parts of the world and time periods are united as one (Heraclitus, 31). People often communicate with one another. People grow chickens for food. Fish survive to feed humans and other fishes. Cows satisfy the human being’s need for milk and other milk-related products. The trees grow and survive by taking in the people’s breath as carbon dioxide. People survive by taking the plants’ breath exhaust, oxygen. Without the plants’ oxygen output, the people will die from lack of oxygen. If the animals, including humans, die, the plants will likewise die from lack of the human beings’ carbon dioxide. The world’s animals and plants are dependent on each other. For example, cows eat the grass, lions eat the cows, people eat the cows and drink its milk and the cow’s manure is the ingredient that makes plants grows. The Role of War (Heraclitus fragments) Heraclitus espoused war as normal in society. War is used to institute change or prevent change (Heraclitus, 59). One strong nation will wage war to capture and impose its policies on weaker nations in order to control them. War is also used to prevent change. After several months or years, another country or group will overthrow the current government leaders. This is grounded in the rebel groups’ espousing that a new leader should take charge of the nation. The new government will implement a government system and new government policies. War is the father of all human society (Heraclitus, 67). War brings down weak nations it occurs when a strong person or rebel group overthrows the weak or unpopular government. In case the government leaders fail to meet the expectations of the people, the absence of war will prevent the people from expressing their dismay over the currently failed leadership. Conclusion Heraclitus has emphasized that life is normally full of changes. Heraclitus’ flux doctrine dictates that every person must accept the concept that society is full of beneficially continuing changes. The paper indicates there is unity among the opposites. Evidently, Heraclitus’ fragments’ dictates that unity-based changes are beneficial and normal in today’s continually changing society. However, it seems that there is controversy in Heraclitus’s doctrines that is often misunderstood by people in different scenarios. Reference: Heraclitus. The Art and Thought of Heraclius. Cambidge University: Cambridge University Press, 1981. Print. Rand, Casey. Measuring Temperature. New York: Raintree Press, 2011. Print. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (2007). Heraclitus. Retrieved from: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/heraclitus/ Read More