Myth, Science, Philosophy, and the Presocratics Chapter 1 Myth, Science, Philosophy, and the Presocratics

The Conflict Between Myth and Science

What characterizes mythic thinking. Who were the Presocratics What characterizes mythic thinking? Who were the Presocratics? What characterizes their thinking? How do mythic thinking and Presocratic thinking complement and conflict with one another? How does Presocratic thinking pave the way for philosophy and for science?

Discussion Questions Imagine that in the world you live in there is no science…. You life consists of a series of events that intrude into your field of experience…. How would you feel? Secure, or disorientated? Would you try to make sense of the world around you? How?

How could these questions be answered? Lightning strikes! What caused this? Why did it strike my dwelling, and not someone else’s? Perhaps I’m being punished in some way. But by whom? And if this is so, how do I appease my punisher? Worse yet—if my punisher is so powerful as to be able to command even the skies, how could I even comprehend what it would want of me…? How could these questions be answered?

F.M. Cornford and Mythic Thinking as Emerging from Self-Centeredness

Cornford on Myth What are the advantages of Cornford’s account of mythic thinking? What are the disadvantages of Cornford’s account of mythic thinking?

PRESOCRATIC THINKING Is mythic thinking the only sort of narrative that we can give to try to explain the universe in which we live? What other possibilities could there be? Try to think of at least two alternatives… One might be obvious to you, but what could the other be? In striving to think of this, you’re placing yourself in the same inquiring, questioning, puzzled position as the ancients….

Thales and Anaximander The Milesian School: Thales and Anaximander

Look around you. Why might you think that everything in the world could be explained in terms of water?

Anaximander What was your response to Thales’ view that everything was made of water? Was it similar in any way to Anaximander’s, either in substance, or the techniques you used? If so, how?

How was Anaximander a real philosopher, rather than just a disciple of Thales? Is the trait that he demonstrated here a desirable one? Why, or why not?

The Obscure One, The Dark One, The Riddler Heraclitus claimed that the basic “stuff” of reality is fire.

How is Fire Fluid? Water Fire

Why is the fire metaphor so appropriate for Heraclitus’ views? Why Fire? Why is the fire metaphor so appropriate for Heraclitus’ views?

Zombies? Vampires? What did Heraclitus mean when he said that humans are both “living and dead”?

Parmenides and the Eleatic School Parmenides argued that statis, stability, and eternal unchangeability are the true marks of reality

What is the Truth, for Parmenides? Why does he believe this? The Way of Truth The Way of Opinion What is the Truth, for Parmenides? Why does he believe this? What part of the world do those who follow this Way focus upon—and why? What, for Parmenides, is wrong with this?

What do Heraclitus and Parmenides agree on? Do you agree with them?

The Atomist School: Democritus and Leucippus Atoms are tiny, uncuttable particles of matter

Atomism and Particle Physics Why did the Nobel Prize-winning physicist call Democritus the grandfather of modern particle physics?

A Troubling Conclusion? Do you believe, with Democritus, that humans are just lumps of matter, no different in kind from clay and dust? Why do you think as you do? Is it because you’re worried by the implications…?

From Mere Wonder to Wondrous Distress Do you think that it would be best to promote a mythic understanding of the world, or a scientific one? Why do you think as you do?

In what way should Anaximander be an inspiration to everyone? PURSUE TRUTH! In what way should Anaximander be an inspiration to everyone?