The origin of everything

Dear little philosophers,

how are you all? Are you enjoying your summer holiday? I really hope you don’t spend all the day with your smartphone but also with other activities, like reading books, going out with your friends, walking but above all playing.

However, even if you are on holiday we will try to keep your attention awake through our little philosophy lessons. So: let’s start!

Today we’ll try to answer these questions: “Where do we come from and what is the origin of everything”?

Thales, Anaximander and Anaximene tried to find an answer but who are they? They were philosophers of nature.

Originally from Miletus, a Turkey city, they lived about 600 years before the birth of Jesus and they were really curious, especially about the beginning of everything so each of them has thought of a primordial cause, the arché.

Thales thought that the base of all was water: in fact, without this liquid there is no life. If we observe our person, we must consider that more than 80% of our body is made of it.

Anaximander  instead believed that at the origin of life was the apeiron, something unlimited or endless. Furthermore, only what is endless can give life to what has an end and limits, like us.

Anaximene’s arché was the air. Like Thales, he believed that “… there had to be a primordial matter at the bottom of all the changes that occur in nature”.

Who was right, on your opinion? What do you think about this theme? Where does everything we know come from? And we?

Before saying goodbye waiting for the next lesson, I suggest you the title of the book from which I took the sentence in bold and an interesting video. Good reading and good vision!

The book is “The world of Sofia” written by Jostein Gaarder, ed. Longanesi. And here is the video

 

Maria Domenica Depalo