In this lesson, we delve into how the world was created according to the presocratic philosophers

2. The Wonder
of the
Universe
L1.
Group 1

4. Why is the sky
blue?

5. Why is the sky
blue?
What are those
bright spots in the
sky at night?

6. Why is the sky
blue?
What are those
bright spots in the
sky at night?
Why is the moon
always following
me?

8. Presocratics

9. The Presocratics are also known as the
‘first official philosophers’ as they were
philosophers who lived before Socrates.

10. The Presocratics are also known as the
‘first official philosophers’ as they were
philosophers who lived before Socrates.
The word, “Pre” and “Socratic”
meaning “Before Socrates”.

11. The Presocratics are also known as the
‘first official philosophers’ as they were
philosophers who lived before Socrates.
The word, “Pre” and “Socratic”
meaning “Before Socrates”.
Presocratics are from the 6th and 5th
century BCE.
They lived in the time where
the universe is explained through
mythology.

12. The Presocratics are also known as the
‘first official philosophers’ as they were
philosophers who lived before Socrates.
The word, “Pre” and “Socratic”
meaning “Before Socrates”.
Presocratics are from the 6th and 5th
century BCE.
They lived in the time where
the universe is explained through
mythology.
The ancient period in the history of Philosophy is known to
be cosmocentric (universe centered), which is a vision of
reality that places the highest importance or emphasis in the
universe or nature; they wanted to find answers that are
natural.

13. The Presocratics are also known as the
‘first official philosophers’ as they were
philosophers who lived before Socrates.
The word, “Pre” and “Socratic”
meaning “Before Socrates”.
Presocratics are from the 6th and 5th
century BCE.
They lived in the time where
the universe is explained through
mythology.
The ancient period in the history of Philosophy is known to
be cosmocentric (universe centered), which is a vision of
reality that places the highest importance or emphasis in the
universe or nature; they wanted to find answers that are
natural.
Presocratic philosophers:
Their goals were to comprehend the world they live in, find
a specific element that would provide an explanation for
everything's existence and develop their own theories based
on their own observations.
Thales
Leucippus &
Democritus Anaximander
Heraclitus

14. Theories
of the
Presocratic

15. Thale
s
Heraclitu
s
Leucippus
and
Democritu
s
Anaximande
r
Leucippus
Democritu
s

16. Thales, an Ancient Greek philosopher and one of
the Seven Sages is credited as the first to provide
a natural explanation for the origin of the world,
free from mythological elements. Born around
624–620 BCE and known for the maxim "know
thyself," Thales is considered a pioneering figure
in Greek philosophy.
Thales Theory

17. Thales Theory
Thales' theory aligns with modern understanding,
emphasizing the significance of water even within
the human body. Essentially, his insight
underscores the interconnectedness of natural
elements, emphasizing water as a fundamental
and essential component in the composition of
diverse entities.
Thales of Miletus proposed that water constitutes
the fundamental element of everything in the
natural world. He observed the pervasive
presence of moisture in various forms, such as
wood, vegetables, metals, and paints, highlighting
its universal impact on creation and
manufacturing.

18. Heraclitus Theory
Heraclitus is remembered for his cosmology,
in which fire forms the basic material
principle of an orderly universe. Little is
known about his life, and the one book he
apparently wrote is lost.
A Greek philosopher (circa 540 BCE),
introduced the radical idea of fire as the
foundational element, symbolizing a dynamic,
ever-changing essence.

19. Heraclitus' theory, the "theory of flux," states that
everything in the universe is always changing. It
challenges the idea of a stable reality, highlighting
the dynamic nature of existence and rejecting
permanence.
Heraclitus Theory

20. Leucippus & Democritus
Theory
Leucippus
Democritu
s
Democritus
known in antiquity as the ‘laughing philosopher’
because of his emphasis on the value of
‘cheerfulness,’ was one of the two founders of
ancient atomist theory.
Leucippus
was a pre-Socratic natural philosopher who lived
in ancient Greece during the fifth century BCE.
He and his mentor, Leucippus, are widely
regarded as the first atomists in the Grecian
tradition.

21. Leucippus & Democritus
Theory
Leucippus
Democritu
s
This idea prevailed for centuries until the late
19th century when the discovery of subatomic
particles, such as protons, neutrons, and electrons,
revealed that atoms are not truly indivisible. This
realization reshaped the scientific understanding
of matter, demonstrating that atoms themselves
could be further divided into smaller constituents.
The main idea of the theory is atomism, the belief
that everything in the universe is composed of
indivisible and indestructible particles called
atoms.

22. Anaximander
Theory
Anaximander was the author of the first surviving
lines of Western philosophy. He speculated and
argued about “the Boundless” as the origin of all
that is. He also worked on the fields of what we
now call geography and biology. Moreover,
Anaximander was the first speculative
astronomer.

23. Anaximander
Theory
The boundless or limitless element is the source
that produces the four basic elements—water, fire,
air, and earth. This boundless element serves as
the generative force behind the diversity of entities
in the world, allowing for the combination and
transformation of basic elements to create the
complexity observed in nature.
He proposed the concept of the "apeiron," which
translates to the "boundless" or "limitless."

25. KEEP IN MIND
The Presocratics, or the thinkers who lived before the time of Socrates, are tagged as the first
official philosophers

26. KEEP IN MIND
The Presocratics, or the thinkers who lived before the time of Socrates, are tagged as the first
official philosophers
The ancient period in the history of Philosophy is known to be cosmocentric (universe
centered)

27. KEEP IN MIND
The Presocratics, or the thinkers who lived before the time of Socrates, are tagged as the first
official philosophers
Thales of Miletus thought that the basic element that composes everything is water.
The ancient period in the history of Philosophy is known to be cosmocentric (universe
centered)

28. KEEP IN MIND
The Presocratics, or the thinkers who lived before the time of Socrates, are tagged as the first
official philosophers
Thales of Miletus thought that the basic element that composes everything is water.
An opposing element to water, fire, was thought to be the basic component by Heraclitus
The ancient period in the history of Philosophy is known to be cosmocentric (universe
centered)

29. KEEP IN MIND
The Presocratics, or the thinkers who lived before the time of Socrates, are tagged as the first
official philosophers
Thales of Miletus thought that the basic element that composes everything is water.
An opposing element to water, fire, was thought to be the basic component by Heraclitus
Leucippus and Democritus, the first thinkers to conceive of atoms. Atoms, which are
invisible to the naked eye, are the basic components of all
The ancient period in the history of Philosophy is known to be cosmocentric (universe
centered)

30. KEEP IN MIND
The Presocratics, or the thinkers who lived before the time of Socrates, are tagged as the first
official philosophers
Thales of Miletus thought that the basic element that composes everything is water.
An opposing element to water, fire, was thought to be the basic component by Heraclitus
Leucippus and Democritus, the first thinkers to conceive of atoms. Atoms, which are
invisible to the naked eye, are the basic components of all
The ancient period in the history of Philosophy is known to be cosmocentric (universe
centered)
Anaximander believed in an element that produces those elements. He called this the
apeiron which means the “boundless” or “limitless”.

31. KEEP IN MIND
The Presocratics, or the thinkers who lived before the time of Socrates, are tagged as the first
official philosophers
Thales of Miletus thought that the basic element that composes everything is water.
An opposing element to water, fire, was thought to be the basic component by Heraclitus
Leucippus and Democritus, the first thinkers to conceive of atoms. Atoms, which are
invisible to the naked eye, are the basic components of all
The ancient period in the history of Philosophy is known to be cosmocentric (universe
centered)
Anaximander believed in an element that produces those elements. He called this the
apeiron which means the “boundless” or “limitless”.
“The Presocratics' great contribution is the leap of man's thinking from superstition to
science. While they were enraged with myths and legends, these philosophers opt to
explain the natural law that is based on empirical observations instead of supernatural
explanations.”

32. In 1990, the astronomer Carl Sagan requested a photo of the Earth by the Voyager 1 spacecraft
at a distance of 3.7 billion miles away.

34. TIME FOR A
QUIZ!!