Empedocles Analysis
The Four Elements Some things on Earth are everlasting, and according to Empedocles those things are the four root elements. These elements are fire, air, water and earth. They’re essential to life and therefore an eternal part of the world. Their importance speaks volume of their existence and they do not get created nor perished, they just exist. That is the argument that Empedocles is making, these elements are eternal and cannot be destroyed. Empedocles asserts that fire, air, water and earth “are all equal and of the same age, but each rules in its own province and possesses its own character, but they dominate in their turn as time revolves” (Lines 27-29). These four elements are always used and when one of them is the main factor
…show more content…
Empedocles argues that the elements “never cease continually interchanging, at one time all coming together into one by Love and at another each being borne apart by the hatred of Strife” (Mckirahan, 236). These elements can become different things because love brings them together, while strife breaks apart while still maintaining their identity. Even though Strife breaks the elements apart, the elements do not disappear. It all depends whether love or strife dominates to make the movement happen. Empedocles makes a sound case because these elements are fundamental to life on Earth, therefore always in existence. If somehow these elements were to disappear or lessen for that matter, how would life sustain? However, I do not agree that Love and Strife are the only motivators for these elements to create or disappear. There can also be other chemicals or mortal elements that bring or tear apart the four main immortal elements. Some may not agree that these four elements are eternal and cannot be destroyed. For example, when you put out a fire does “fire” not get destroyed? Although this is true, Empedocles defends that they just become something different while maintaining their identity. Even though you do not physically see the fire anymore, it has become something different but it is still there because it is immortal. Simply because of the fact that Empedocles argues that the elements don’t come
Empedocles argues that the elements “never cease continually interchanging, at one time all coming together into one by Love and at another each being borne apart by the hatred of Strife” (Mckirahan, 236). These elements can become different things because love brings them together, while strife breaks apart while still maintaining their identity. Even though Strife breaks the elements apart, the elements do not disappear. It all depends whether love or strife dominates to make the movement happen. Empedocles makes a sound case because these elements are fundamental to life on Earth, therefore always in existence. If somehow these elements were to disappear or lessen for that matter, how would life sustain? However, I do not agree that Love and Strife are the only motivators for these elements to create or disappear. There can also be other chemicals or mortal elements that bring or tear apart the four main immortal elements. Some may not agree that these four elements are eternal and cannot be destroyed. For example, when you put out a fire does “fire” not get destroyed? Although this is true, Empedocles defends that they just become something different while maintaining their identity. Even though you do not physically see the fire anymore, it has become something different but it is still there because it is immortal. Simply because of the fact that Empedocles argues that the elements don’t come