Ancient PhilosophyGreek Pre-Socratics |
What was Empedocles’ idea about the four elements |
The Sicilian poet-philosopher Empedocles (c. 495–435 B.C.E.) posited the four-element theory: fire, air, water, and earth are the four things from which everything else is made. Ordinary things like cats and rivers are but temporary recombinations of these elements. Also, the source of motion for these elements is love and strife, love bringing them together, strife separating them.