06 - Pre-Aristotelian Concepts of the Soul

3 groups of pre-socratic philosophers (3)

(1) the cosmotologists (physicists) 6 — 1)Thales, 2)Anaximander, 3)Anaximenes 4)Heraclitus 5)Democritus 6)Empodecles

*TAAHDE → ‘those ancient assholes had diff elements’ 

(2) the biologists — 2: Alcmaon, Hippocrates

(3)the mathematicians — Pythagoras

4 groups/figures of classical greek philosophers (4)

1)the sophists: protegras and gorgias

2)socrates

3)plato

4)Aristotle

early greek cosmologists (physicists)

1)Thales of Miletus

2)Anixamander

3)Anaximenes

archē (3)

long before the discvoereis of atoms and subatomic particles (e.g. electrongs, protons, neutrons) or quantum theory

early greek cosmologists believed in archē—what they believed were the basic elements (physis) of the cosmos

Thales of Miletus (640-546 BC) : proposed that the archē (fundamental element) of all thing is water

Anixamander VS Anaximenes (4)

Anixamander (610-547 BC): proposed the concept of Aperon—indefinite or boundless

considered Aperon as the orgin of all things *believed water gave birth to all of the universe

Anaximenes (588-524BC): argue that Air is the primary subtance from which everything arises 

Democritus of Abdera (4 major ideas) 

1)atomism: he believed that the universe consists of materal atoms and the void (empty space)

2)argued the soul is composed of smooth, round atoms—it dissolves at death, implying no afterlife *as a materialist, believed that the universe was the void and material atoms, didn't believe in spirits (the immaterial, only believed in material) 

3)advocated a form of hedonism, where the goal of life is rational pleasure and freedom from fear *hedonism = enjoy life as it is bc after you die, there's nothing else

4)perception

Democritus conception of perception

he believed that all objects emit thin layers of atoms called eidola *imp for psyc, he was the 1st to come up with a model for perception of an object

eidola=thin layer of atoms that make up images or impression

these eidola emanate from surfaces and enter the senses, creating perceptions throught resonance or interactin with soul-atoms

*Eidola are traveling and reach our senses and making our senses vibrate, restoring the image

2 diff conceptions of Eidolon (who invented idea of Eidolon (pl. for eidola):

Homer: Word eidola appears in Homeric epics, with an eidolon being understood as a shadow, phantom or ghost—a spirit-image of a living or dead person

democritus and empedocles: understood eidolon as a copy or image that emanates from the surface of an object

difference between Democritus and Empedocles viewpoint of perception (eidola) (2)

Democritus: eidola enter though specific sense organs *eidola approach our senses and make them vibrate

Empedocles: eidola enter the body through all its pores *the eidola enter pores of the body and reverberate body and you have the impression of seeing, hearing, etc.

*Empedocles → pores 

Heraclitus of Ephesus (4 major ideas/contributions)

Heraclitus of Ephesus (6th century BC): proposed fire as the fundamental physis (basic element) of the universe

emphasized eternal change and movement, viewing relaity as a continous process of becoming and actualizing potentials

famous for phrase “panta rhei” = everything flows  *change is more typic of human life than stagnation, everything in the universe changes

river analogy: "you cannot enter twice in the same river"

his ideas influenced later thinkings like Aristotle, Hegel, Jung, Horny, Erickson adn Maslow

Heraclitus of Ephesus VS Zeno of Elea (3)

(RE) Heraclitus of Ephesus: emphasized eternal change and movement, viewing relaity as a continous process of becoming and actualizing potentials

famous for phrase “panta rhei” = everything flows  *change is more typic of human life than stagnation, everything in the universe changes

river analogy: "you cannot enter twice in the same river"

Zeno of Elea (495-435 BC): advocated a philosophy of stagnation, argeing that change and movement are illusions

known for his paradoxes, which challenges the cohernece of motion

Archer analogy: when archer shooting an arrow, the arrow has to pass a specific distance that can be divided into half, and more halves (until it hits the target)

If there is endless division into halves then movement is impossible

Empedocles (3 major ideas)

Empedocles (490-430 BC): proposed the Four Archē (elements): fire, eath, air and water

belived thathe Four Archē they merged together thanks to interplay of opposing forces, creating the universe (e.g. 4 elements create mountains, lakes, etc.)

dynamic forces in the universe: attraction (promoting life, creation and integration) and repulsion (promoting death and disintegration)

recomnded vegaterianism to avoid destryong the habitat of a reincarnated soul

Empedocles (2 major contributions)

1)his idea of Four Archē (elements) were later reinterpreted by Hippocrates as basic fluids in the human body: yellow bile, black bile, blood and phlegm

yellow bile = fire, black bile = earth, blood = air, & water = phlegm

2)his dynamic forces in the universe (attraction and repulsion) later inspired Hegel, Jung, Freud and Fromm

ancient/non-scientify VS modern/scientific understanding, whic is ‘better’? (4)

understanding of mental phenomena results from the frameworks available in each epoch—whether based on spiritualism, animism, religion, philosphy or science

*ancestors offered descriptions of human behaviours within their frameworks they had available to them & w/ historicism as principle we respect them as they were

each of these approaches had gradually enriched humanity’s understanding of the spirit, anima, sould, psyche and mind *even tho some were less scientific, they’re not worthless--offer insights about human psyche in their own (unique) way

instead of asking which is the ‘better’ framwork, we should apreciate the variety of aspects each framwork reveals *& avoid judgment of which one is a better tool

• using their respective frameworks & tools, a chemist, botanist or poet reveal a new aspect of a flower

similarly the human mind as a variety of aspects, each discovered when a new framework and tool are applied

evolution of views on agency controlling human fate and conduct (4

1)panspiritualism: external spiritual powers as major agency; internal sprit less imp

2)archaic animism: internal sprit (anima) in object/organism serves as its agency, providing intention & dynamics

3)ancient religions: individual soul with its divine attributes of free will and responsibility internal agency as an individual soul, almost all religions emphasize semi divine attributes of free will and responsibility *so some external too, but very little

 human life as transient period of self-perfection (over lifetime) on the path to eternity

4)greek philosophy: rational and moral mind—akin to universl values of truth, good, harmony, beauty, and moral virtues—as a warrant of the rational ethics

humans as more than just a ‘set of atoms’ or ‘a mammal’ (3)

the human being possesses many aspects, including material and spiritual, profane and scred, biological and psychological 

the mental apparatus includes various faculties: thinking, feeling, sensing, intuiting, and beliving

to understand these aspects and faculties, we need the appropriate tools adn frameworks

a fork suits beef, not soup

rational thinking excels in labs and in practical actions, but less so in a temple, musum or concert hall

science isn’t the only way to understand everything 

greek cosmologists VS greek biologists on the connection tbwn humans and the universe (4)

panspritualism, animism, various religions & some greek philosohers recognize the spritual aspects of the human soul as belonging to the unversla sprit or divinity

greek cosmologists: proposed considering non-spiritual elements that humans share with the universe, from which everything emerged

some proposed physical arche (water, air, earth, fire) while others an sbtract primary arche (the apeiron)

everything participants in the eternal cycle of existence and nonexistence, becoming and decaying

greek biologist: identify the common cosmic elements with the human body as fluids (or humours), with health depending on balance

*believed that balance btwn fluids in the body decides if person is sick or healthy

Alcmaeon of Croton (4 main ideas) 

he criticized the templar of Asclepius (aka Aesculapian) medicine for focusing too much on magical rituals, prayers and offerings to the Greek god of healing—Aesculapius—while ignoring the physical causes of illness

introduced new system of medicine, based on observations of sick humans/animals

symbol of medicine: a serpent coiled around a staff

he believed that health depends on the bodily balance/harmony btwn (3) physical conditions:

1)coldness and warmth 2)wetness and dryness  3)sweetness adn bitterness

*believed that if body balance restored and the physical condition would be improved 

This shows that Greek biologists offered non-spirituals causes of medical conditions of health and illness

Hippocrates of Cos — views on illness and healing (3 ideas)

1)natural causes of bodily and mental diseases/ilnessnes—illness is view a an imblance of bodily fluids or disruptions of harmony within the body and mind

*natural fluid should be maintained in balance, and if chronically imbalanced, may lead to sickness and illness

2)holisitic approach to illness—’do not treat the illness, but the person who is ill’

pioneer of psychosomatic medicine, which is approach that emphasizes the whole person, rather than jut adressing symptoms *whole person, mental & physical conditison all considered

 3)auto-healing powers of the organism—believed the body has inherent self-healing abilities

role of doctor is to assist nature in healing itself and restore balance and harmony to the body and mind *believed in natural power an organism possesses in restoring balance if provided proper rest, sleep, diet and exercises

Hippocrates — early observations of hental & physical health AND theory of basic humors

Hippocrates observed the efffects of injury on the brain

“art of healing” explored conditions like melancholia, postpartum depression, hypomania, phobias, paranoia, and hysteria

*Not all of his explanation of still valid, but showed that he was a good observer and right in his conclusions

“nautre of man” explained Empedoclean basic elements (water, fire, air and earth) are applied in the thoery of basic fluids/humors, which explains the balance of health and illness *Chronic imbalance between those basic fluids might lead to illness, & treatment aimed at restoring balance btwn those humors

Hippocrate’s theory of basic humors

believed that the predominance of a specific humour (fluid) determined a person’s mood 

RE: basic elements (water, fire, air and earth) are applied in the thoery of basic fluids/humors

*blue=as what Galen (later Roman physician who expanded on theory called it)

excess black bile (water) — sad, melancholic 

excess yellow bile (fire) — impulsive, choleric

excess blood (air) — vigorous, sanguine

excess phlegm (earth) — apathetic, phlegmatic

Hippocrates on Epilepsy

it was thought that for epilepsy, a sprit or demon entered the body and created the seizures *supernatural causes for epilepsy

Hippocrates rejected that notion, stating that epilepsy was not a "sacred" or divine illness his treatise on Epilepsy “De Morbu Sacro” (the sacred disease)

in “De Morbu Sacro” he argues that epilepsy was a nutral illness that should be treated by natural means such as relaxation, diet, peace and fostering a postive mood

Hippocratic oath