Greek Opposites

Ancient Greek Conceptions of the One and the Many Life is made up of parts and wholes that equate to one universal equilibrium that is reality. The Presocratics touch upon the concept of a first principle, called the archai, that is the cause of all other things. Among this theory is the idea of opposites and how one thing comes from an opposing force. Heraclitus believes all things are one and that opposites are necessary for harmony. One is defined as a simple unity that is indivisible; whereas, a whole is made up of parts. Heraclitus also believes that things are at war with each other and brought together in their strife and tension. The oneness of all things is composed of opposites in conflict with one another. A prominent theory …show more content…
They believed that the apeiron was not limited to earthly qualities and was infinite. The apeiron was known to be without properties and qualitatively, spatially, and quantitatively indefinite. The archai was known as the underlying cause or origin of all things and is enduring, meaning it always was and always will be. It is described as a constitutive substance that makes up all things and is the origin and final destination from which all things come to be. It is also an animating an divine substance. Among the achai and the apeiron is the idea of opposites. Heraclitus focuses on opposites in his theories about the one and the many. He believes that opposites are necessary for reality to exist as humanity knows it. From all things come their opposites, creating harmony in the world. The tensions between the two things bring them together ultimately creating a whole. An example of this would be the ying and yang symbol. The two opposites come together to create a circle that represents the good and the bad in life resulting in humanity’s reality. Being considered ‘one’ is defined as being a simple unity that is indivisible. If something is ‘whole’, then it is made up of parts. Opposites create a whole, meaning there is more than one part present. For the Presocratics, the one and the many is set of theories reliant on the conflicting nature of opposites and how they result in one harmonic