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Heraclitus vs. Parmenides
As we all know, there have been many different philosophy around the world but the most popular philosophy that has created the most impact on the United States would have to be the ancient Greeks. There were over 100 thoughtful philosophers who would work together to develop their philosophies and contributed to its accomplishment. Every once in a while, however, they would disagree such as Heraclitus and Parmenides. Although Heraclitus and Parmenides were similar in many regards and both agreed that the universe can be reduced to one thing, they still had a disagreement on what exactly that one thing was.
Heraclitus was born in about 540-480 B.C (John Chaffee-p.234) and he was one of the most influential pre-Socratic philosophers in Greek’s history. His significant is undisputable even though all we have of his work is fragmentations of material. However, his philosophy has a very clear essence and focus. He believed that ever-changing world around us is held together by the logos, flux and fire, all things are one. These are the most fundamental and lasting ideas of Heraclitus and ancient Greeks.
Heraclitus argued that everything may change to its opposite and caught up in an endless cycle of change. He believed that constancy was the logos; a unifying principle that is composed of “balance of opposites” (Classical Wisdom Weekly). According to Heraclitus, the logos is the world’s rationale, the “formula” (James Fieser), the truth, and the key to nature. What exactly is logos?
“It’s an objective law like principle that governs the universe, and which it is possible (but difficult) for humans to come to understand” (John Chaffee-p.234).
He stated that: “Though the logos is as I have said, men alwa...

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...lity. According to Parmenides, true knowledge is not attainable by senses but by reason alone. Therefore, Parmenides believed that senses are deceptive.
Now that we know both of our philosophers’ theories, Heraclitus and Parmenides seem to be on opposite sides: one affirms becoming and change, the other denies them. They both agreed that the universe can reduce to one thing, but that one thing was obviously quite different. For Parmenides, it was all about real being-“The One”. It’s complete and imperishable behind the appearance of change. Parmenides conceived the eternal and unchanging being as the sole reality. However, “The One” for Heraclitus was a circular path of change: being turns into not being, life turns into death, eternal transformation. In their differing ways, both philosophers struggled to rescue eternal being from the flux of appearance and change.

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