Parmenides
Parmenides (also Parmenides of Elea) (Greek: Παρμενίδης ο Ἐλεάτης, early 5th century BC) was an ancient Greek philosopher born in Elea, Italy and was the founder of the Eleatic school of philosophy. His only known work is a poem, but only bits and pieces have survived. In it, he describes two views of reality. These thoughts strongly influenced Plato, and later, the whole of western philosophy. His philosophy was based on materialistic monism. Materialistic monism is the belief that everything in the universe is made of a single substance. Parmenides' biggest argument was that change does not exist. Parmenides' explanation is that we think we see change, but our senses are not reliable, and they create the illusion of change.
Greek: Παρμενίδης | |
|---|---|
 Parmenides | |
| Era | Pre-Socratic philosophy |
| Region | Western Philosophy |
| School | Eleatic school |
Main interests | Metaphysics |
Notable ideas | Being is, Eternal return, Determinism, Ultimate reality, Monotheism |
Influences
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Influenced
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Parmenides Media
Greek vase with runners at the panathenaic games, c. 530 BC. In Plato's [fictional] dialogue, Parmenides and Zeno debate a young Socrates during these games c. 450 BC
Detail of the pedestal found in Velia. Greek inscriptions were made only in capital letters, and without spaces. Read as follows: ΠΑ[ ]ΜΕΝΕΙΔΗΣ ΠΥΡΗΤΟΣ* ΟΥΛΙΑΔΗΣ ΦΥΣΙΚΟΣ
Greek Charioteer. Bas-relief from the last quarter of the 6th century BC, Istanbul Archaeological Museum.
Helios and the Night. Lekythos from black-figure pottery from 4th century BC Depicts Helios, ascending in his chariot, Night, receding to the left and Eos to the right.
Gate of Lions, Mycenae
Odysseus and the sirens. Detail of an Attic stamnos of red-figure from Vulci, 480–470 BCE, British Museum. Illustrates the passage from Odyssey. XII where the hero is immobile, constrained by the bonds that hold him to the mast of his ship.
Parmenides describes "what is" as a rounded ball, with its entire surface equidistant from the center.[a]
Other websites
- Parmenides' of Elea Way of Truth with an annotated bibliography
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