Empedocles
Empedocles was a pre-Socratic philosopher who proposed a cosmogonic theory of the universe. He is best known for his theory of the four classical elements and the forces of Love and Strife which he believed influenced all physical phenomena.
Life[edit | edit source]
Empedocles was born in the Greek city of Acragas, Sicily, around 490 BC. He was a citizen of a wealthy and distinguished family who had a reputation for his knowledge of natural phenomena.
Philosophy[edit | edit source]
Empedocles' philosophy is best known for introducing the cosmogonic theory of the four roots (air, earth, fire, and water) which he associated with the gods Zeus, Hera, Nestis, and Aidoneus respectively. He also proposed two divine forces, Love (Philia) and Strife (Neikos), which mixed and separated the four elements.
Four Elements[edit | edit source]
Empedocles' theory of the four elements was a significant development in Presocratic philosophy. He proposed that all matter was composed of four roots: air, earth, fire, and water. These elements were eternal and unchanging, and could be mixed in different proportions to form all things in the universe.
Love and Strife[edit | edit source]
Empedocles introduced the concept of Love and Strife as the two forces that caused the mixture and separation of the elements. Love was the force of attraction and combination, while Strife was the force of repulsion and separation.
Legacy[edit | edit source]
Empedocles' theories had a significant influence on later philosophers, including Plato and Aristotle. His concept of the four elements became a standard theory in ancient and medieval science, and his ideas about Love and Strife influenced the development of the theory of the four humors in medicine.
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
| Empedocles Resources | |
|---|---|
|
 |
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
|
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
| Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
