Pre-Socratics on Superphysics

Alcmaeon: Pythagorean

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

¹ Alcmæon was:

a citizen of Crotona
a pupil of Pythagoras

The chief part of his writings are on medical subjects.

But he also at times discusses points of natural philosophy, and asserts that the greater part of human affairs have two sides.

Anacharsis: Scythian

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

¹ Anacharsis was:

the son of Gnurus
the brother of Caduides the king of the Scythians

But his mother was a Grecian woman; owing to which circumstance he understood both languages.

Anaxagoras: Astronomer

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

¹ Anaxagoras was:

the son of Hegesibulus, or Eubulus
a citizen of Clazomenæ
a pupil of Anaximenes
the first philosopher who attributed mind to matter, beginning his treatise on the subject in the following manner (and the whole treatise is written in a most beautiful and magnificent style):

“All things were mixed up together; then Mind came and arranged them all in distinct order.”

Anaximenes: Thales, Anaximander

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

¹ Anaximenes was:

the son of Eurystratus, a Milesian
a pupil of Anaximander

Some say that he was also a pupil of Parmenides.

He said that:

the principles of everything were the air, and the Infinite.
the stars moved not under the earth, but around the earth.

He wrote in the pure unmixed Ionian dialect.

Diogenes of Apollonia: Anaximenes

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

¹ Diogenes was:

a native of Apollonia
the son of Apollothemis, a natural philosopher of high reputation
according to Antisthenes a pupil of Anaximenes
a contemporary of Anaxagoras

Demetrius Phalereus says, in his Defence of Socrates, that he was very unpopular at Athens, and even in some danger of his life.

Euclid of Megara: Parmenides

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

¹ Euclides was:

a native of Megara on the Isthmus, or of Gela, as mentioned by Alexander in his Successions.

He devoted himself to the study of the writings of Parmenides.

Phaedo: Socrates

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

¹ Phædo the Elean, one of the Eupatridæ, was taken prisoner at the time of the subjugation of his country, and was compelled to submit to the vilest treatment.

But while he was standing in the street, shutting the door, he met with Socrates, who desired Alcibiades, or as some say, Crito, to ransom him. And after that time he studied philosophy as became a free man. But Hieronymus, in his essay on suspending one’s judgment, calls him a slave.

Pyrrho: Anaxarchus

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

¹ Pyrrho was:

a citizen of Elis
the son of Pleistarchus, as Diocles informs us, and, as Apollodorus in his Chronicles asserts, he was originally a painter.

II. He was a pupil of Bryson, the son of Stilpon, as we are told by Alexander in his Chronicles.

Timon: Stilpo

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

¹ Apollonides of Nicæa is a philosopher of our school.

According to his Commentaries on the Silli Book 1 dedicated to Tiberius Cæsar, Timon was:

the son of Timarchus
a Phliasian by birth

When he was young, he studied dancing. He later renounced that study and went to Megara to Stilpo.