The philosophers of Elea

In Elea appears a group of philosophers who also reflected on nature . Likewise, they intended to give their particular vision about the world and the physis. But these, instead of focusing on cosmic issues, did so in the metaphysical principles of reality . Now we will see how the figure of Parmenides, the greatest representative, is completely opposed to the thought of Heraclitus: the stable versus the change. We will explain the basic pillars of this school for you to meet the philosophers of Elea .

Xenophanes (570-480 BC)

He is considered the founder of the school . He was a traveling poet and singer who settled in Elea. He made a devastating critique of the poets Homer and Hesiod, the myth writers, for their conception of the gods as men. And he considered that the Supreme Being of the unit from which the whole Universe comes and maintains, is the Universe itself.

Parmenides

Disciple and follower of the thought of Xenophanes and most representative and important thinker of the school. It considers being as the Universe and considers that being is and can not be non-being . This being is unique, eternal, immobile and complete in itself. True knowledge develops around being, the rest is nothing but pure opinion.

Zeno (490-430 BC)

Following the line of Parmenides, he rejects all theses about the movement of being. Consider that there is only one, because if there were plurality, the things that exist would be infinite and would never end. It develops a series of arguments to refute the movement, among which the one of "Aquiles and the turtle" stands out in which it demonstrates the static reality.

Importance of the school

The thought that develops the school of Elea will have a great influence in the development of the Western Philosophy. It will be Plato the philosopher who takes the ideas of Parmenides and develops them by creating an existing philosophical current to this day.

Tips
  • Consider the difference of thoughts between Parmenides and Heraclitus: from here all the later Philosophy derives.
  • Study the pre-Socratic philosophers to situate the school.
  • Understand the physical-metaphysical basis of this thought.