PHILOS 1A03 Lecture 2: Philosophical textsLecture2

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Philosophy
• Course: PHILOS 1A03
• Professor: Barry Allen

Document Summary

Arche- principle meaning both origin (beginning) and cause. Ionia athenian colony, eastern aegean coast of asia minor. Miletus city in ionia, home of thales and anaximander. What was new with these philosophers is there way of explaining the beginning of things. They were dissatisfied with the myths of the begging (the gods, and fantasies) Anaximander: does not begin by invoking gods or making assumptions about hem, uses experience and conclusions drawn for experience, thinks the arche must be boundless, (the aperion), unlimited, or indeterminate. The absolute beginning of all things that do begin. The earth is at the centre of the whole universe. The earth is absolute at rest and cannot move, because of it"s (cid:272)e(cid:374)t(cid:396)al lo(cid:272)atio(cid:374). The(cid:396)e is (cid:374)o (cid:396)easo(cid:374) fo(cid:396) (cid:373)o(cid:448)e(cid:373)e(cid:374)t the(cid:396)efo(cid:396)e it does(cid:374)"t (cid:373)o(cid:448)e. it is e(cid:395)uidista(cid:374)(cid:272)e from all other points so it has no reason. What reasoning deems necessary really has to exist (reason rules).