Early Philosophical Ideas Of Being Essay
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More often than not, interpretations of many philosophical theories lie within the problem of undefined technical terms, rather than the common misidentification of semantics. Parmenides' thoughts on existence are of no exception. It is particularly difficult to interpret his argument on "Being" as it makes rather extreme conclusions pertaining to the inconceivability of "Nothing" and the properties of "Being". Responses expressed independently by Gorgias, two Atomist, and Empedocles, contend with pertinent questions regarding Parmenides' conclusion that "Being is One, not a multiplicity."Gorgias approaches the problem with the denial of the existence of "Being" while affirming the existence of "Nothing". Keep in mind that Gorgias is a Sophist, and so his end conclusions will suggest that truth is subjective, and furthermore, he would argue that the question of existence itself is hopelessly impossible. Generally, Gorgias rejects both the divisibility of Being as well as it's multiplicity. He argues that "Being cannot be one, because if it exists it has size, and is therefore infinitely divisible; at least it is threefold, having length, breadth, and depth."(3:I-b,IV) While refuting the fact that Being cannot be one in context of dimensions, he also argues that multiplicity is impossible, " because the many is made up of an addition of ones, so that since the one does not exist, the many do not exist either."(3:I-b,V) The interpretation of this particular premise points out that it is erroneous for Parmenides to suggest that one equals one plus one. However, this is apparently a play on words, semantics have been used to justify a leap of logic; the definition of "One" in which Gorgias uses fails in itself since the term "one" equals "the whole", at least mathematically. Whether or not Parmenides agrees with this rebuttal is not clear, since he, himself, fails to define the term, "One", adequately. Gorgias uses his argument in conjunction with other premises to prove the Being does not exist: however, the essence or "Idea", as Plato would say, of Being is far too compelling to oust from existence. The Atomist follow a far more plausible definition of One, and hence touches upon the multiplicity of Being, but it still lacks substance. First, the foundation of their argument must be analyzed, and then the question of multiplicity can be approached (These thoughts were taken specifically from Leuccipus and Democritus' work, but from this point on, they will be referred collectively as the Atomist). Unlike the Sophists, the Atomists agreed with Parmenides' belief in the existence of Being; they affirmed the reality of space or "Void", which is held synonymously with "Nothing". Parmenides denied the existence of Nothing; to say that there is Nothing, is inconceivable. Secondly, he characterizes what is, is material. Thus, if space is space is immaterial (which the Atomists firmly believe), it is nothing, hence it does not exist, it isn't. Consequently, movement and change does not exist. The Atomist argue that it is impossible for Being to motivate without area to do so; since the Void or space is present as area for...
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