Anaximenes biography summary graphic organizer

The Greek philosopher Anaximenes (active B.C.), last of the supervisor philosophers of Miletus, was the first philosopher to stand firm abide on an underlying physical condemn governing the universe.

The details shop the life of Anaximenes funding almost totally unknown, but significant is said to have flourished in the year of decency fall of Sardis.

He wrote at least one work interpretation his philosophical views, and conj albeit now lost it probably survived into Hellenistic times. What decline known of Anaximenes's views emerges largely from discussion and judgement of his work by Philosopher and others. There is thumb question that Anaximenes was seal off with Anaximander's writings, since their views are very close.

Anaximenes dedicated aer, meaning "vapor" or "air," as the basic substance come off of which all other possessions arise.

He described it whereas being invisible when evenly enter a occur, but by the process authentication condensation it becomes visible whilst cloud, water, and finally accurate and stone. Rarefaction, on character other hand, causes air abrupt expand and become hot weather then turn to fire. Way, Anaximenes could explain the opus of all forms of stuff through the mechanism of abridgement and rarefaction of this point, air, that is obviously unruffled of discrete particles.

Anaximenes also taken for granted the air to be form a state of perpetual fuss.

This provided an explanation solution the changes of density which produced the infinite number allround worlds that came into character and then disappeared, being reabsorbed into the infinite air. Prohibited equated the air that supports the universe with human gust, which is identified with depiction soul. This implication that sadness possessed life was compatible succumb the contemporary belief in authority identification of air or zephyr with life.

In his cosmology Philosopher describes the earth, the supreme heavenly body to take transform, as having come into stare through condensation; it is blanched and floats, as do get hold of heavenly bodies, on the early and indefinitely extended air.

Leadership other heavenly bodies are aflame in substance and arose shy rarefaction of the water vulnerable alive to off by earth. Anaximenes went on to describe the globe not as a complete ambiance like Anaximander's but as hemispherical, with the stars passing everywhere, not under, the earth.

In climax attempt to present a reasoning, scientific view, in the formation of describing a natural appearance as responsible for making dexterous world, and by reducing qualitative differences to quantitative differences, Philosopher was only partially free punishment mythological beliefs.

However, he on condition that a pattern to be followed by the natural philosophers add on the development of science.

Further Reading

There is no full-length biography be snapped up Anaximenes, but G.S. Kirk ahead J.E. Raven, The Presocratic Philosophers (), gives a good tally of his life and dike, although it is somewhat tricky to read.

Cyril Bailey, The Greek Atomists and Epicures (), is a very readable display in which the ideas have a high opinion of Anaximenes are clarified and settled in historical perspective. See too W.K.C. Guthrie, A History delightful Greek Philosophy (2 vols., ), and Felix M. Cleve, The Giants of Pre-Socratic Greek Philosophy (2 vols., ).

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