Parmenides facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Parmenides
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Bust of Parmenides discovered at Velia, thought to have been partially modeled on a Metrodorus bust.
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| Born | c. late 6th century BC Elea, Magna Graecia
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| Died |
c. 5th century BC
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| Era | Pre-Socratic philosophy |
| Region | Western philosophy |
| School | Eleatic school |
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Main interests
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Ontology, Cosmology |
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Notable ideas
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Monism, Truth vs Opinion |
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Influences
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Influenced
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Parmenides of Elea was an important Greek philosopher. He lived before Socrates, so he is called a "pre-Socratic" thinker. He was born in Elea, a Greek city in what is now southern Italy. This area was known as Magna Graecia.
Parmenides came from a rich and famous family. We are not exactly sure when he was born or died. Some historians think he was born around 540 BC. Others, based on writings by Plato, suggest he was born closer to 515 BC. He was likely most active around 475 BC.
Parmenides wrote one main work, a poem often called On Nature. Only parts of this poem still exist today. In his poem, Parmenides talked about two ways to see reality. The first way, called "The Way of Truth," says that everything is one and cannot change. The second way, "The Way of Opinion," describes the world we see with our senses. Parmenides believed this world of appearances could be misleading.
Many people see Parmenides as the founder of ontology. This is a part of philosophy that studies what it means to exist. His ideas greatly influenced later philosophers, especially Plato. Parmenides also started the Eleatic school of philosophy. Famous students from this school include Zeno of Elea and Melissus of Samos. Zeno created his famous "paradoxes of motion" to support Parmenides' ideas.
Contents
Who was Parmenides?
Parmenides was born in Elea. This city is now in Italy. His father was named Pires. Parmenides came from a wealthy and important family.
Historians have different ideas about who taught Parmenides. Some say he first studied with Xenophanes. Later, he might have preferred a Pythagorean teacher named Aminias. Another idea is that he was a student of Anaximander.
When did Parmenides live?
It is hard to know the exact dates for Parmenides' life. This includes when he was born, when he died, and when he was active as a philosopher.
His birth date
Most ideas about Parmenides' birth date come from two old sources. One source, from Apollodorus, says he was at his peak around 500 BC. This would mean he was born between 544 BC and 540 BC.
The other source is Plato's dialogue called Parmenides. In this story, Plato writes that Parmenides, at age 65, visited Athens. He met a young Socrates around 450 BC. If this story is true, Parmenides would have been born around 515 BC.
Many modern experts prefer Plato's account. They think Plato included these ages for a reason. Socrates was born in 469 BC. If he was 19 when he met Parmenides in 450 BC, then Parmenides, being 65, would have been born around 515 BC. However, some scholars still question if Plato's story is historically accurate.
His time compared to other thinkers
Even with uncertain dates, we can guess how Parmenides fits with other early Greek thinkers. Some parts of his poem seem to discuss ideas from Anaximenes and the Pythagoreans. He might also have disagreed with Heraclitus.
Philosophers like Empedocles, Anaxagoras, and Democritus often refer to Parmenides' ideas. This suggests they came after him. Many experts believe Parmenides' ideas were so important that they changed the direction of early Greek philosophy. His work seems to come before Heraclitus but influenced Empedocles and Anaxagoras.
Interesting stories about Parmenides
Ancient writers like Plutarch and Diogenes Laërtius say that Parmenides helped govern his city. They say he created excellent laws for Elea.
A discovery in Velia
In 1969, a stone base for a statue was found in Velia. It had four Greek words carved on it. The first two words clearly mean "Parmenides, son of Pires." The fourth word means "physicist," which was used for philosophers who studied nature.
The third word is harder to understand. It might mean "a native of Elea." Or it could mean he belonged to a medical school. If he was part of a medical school, it would mean Parmenides was also a doctor, in addition to being a lawmaker. This idea is supported by a part of his poem that talks about the human body. However, most experts agree the discovery mainly shows how important Parmenides was in his city.
His visit to Athens
Plato wrote that Parmenides visited Athens with his student Zeno of Elea. This happened when Parmenides was about 65 years old. During this visit, he supposedly talked with a young Socrates.
Most modern historians believe this meeting between Parmenides and Socrates is a made-up story by Plato. It was likely used to help explain philosophical ideas in Plato's dialogues.
Parmenides' poem: On Nature
Parmenides' only known work is a poem. It was written in a special poetic style called dactylic hexameter. Later, people called it On Nature. We only have parts of it today. About 160 lines remain from what was probably around 800 lines.
The poem had three main parts:
- An introduction, which was a story about the poet's journey.
- A section called "The Way of Truth."
- A section called "The Way of Opinion."
We have most of "The Way of Truth." However, only small pieces of "The Way of Opinion" have survived.
The poem's introduction
The introduction describes the poet's journey. He travels to receive a special message from a goddess about what reality is truly like. The rest of the poem shares what the goddess tells him.
The journey includes many symbolic things. There's a fast chariot, horses, and maidens who guide the poet. They take him from the normal world to a special place. People have different ideas about what these symbols mean. Some think it's about finding wisdom or truth.
The Way of Truth
About 90% of "The Way of Truth" still exists. In this part, Parmenides says that nature is one and unchanging. This single, unchanging reality is what we can truly know. He argues that the variety we see in the world is not real. It is just an illusion or an opinion. This is different from the "Way of Opinion," which talks about things that seem real but are not.
The Way of Opinion
"The Way of Opinion" was much longer, but most of it is lost. In this section, Parmenides describes the world we see. He explains how it seems to develop. But he makes it clear that these ideas about the world are only appearances. They are not the true reality.
He talked about two main forces that make up the world. One is "aether fire," which is light and clear. The other is "ignorant night," which is thick and heavy. Parmenides also seemed to believe that the Earth was round.
Parmenides' lasting impact
Parmenides is seen as the first of the Eleatic school of philosophy. He is also often given credit for being the first philosopher to define ontology. This is the study of being and existence.
His most important student was Zeno of Elea. Zeno appears with Parmenides in Plato's dialogue Parmenides. They discuss philosophy with Socrates. The ideas of other philosophers, like Empedocles, Anaxagoras, and Leucippus, might have been responses to Parmenides' arguments.
Parmenides' ideas about "the One" also influenced later thinkers. These include Plotinus and the Neoplatonists.
See also
In Spanish: Parménides de Elea para niños
