Only one of his works transcended, the interesting About Nature, a book that was lost but whose teachings were recovered through doxographic comments by later scholars. His work in astronomy and geography had a special significance, being the first human being to measure the solstices and equinoxes, in addition to being a pioneer in stating that the Earth is cylindrical, although he was wrong in asserting that it occupied a central position in the universe.
In today’s article we are going to compile the best phrases of Anaximander to understand a little better the thought and ideas of this outstanding Greek philosopher.
Certainly, without water there is no life. It is another thing to think that it is an essential element for matter itself, but Anaximander affirmed it.
2. Nature is eternal and does not age.
One of those phrases from Anaximander that reinforces his theory of immutable matter.
3. All beings derive from other, older beings through successive transformations.
A first stone towards the understanding of human evolution.
4. Things are full of Gods.
On the omnipotence of the divine being.
4. There are many worlds and many systems of Universes that exist all at the same time, all of them perishable.
His astronomical vision had a great impact and follow-up in his time.
5. The indefinite is ingenuous and incorruptible, since what begins necessarily has an end; and all corruption has an end.
His philosophy of matter had this fundamental premise.
6. The unlimited has no beginning because, in that case, it would be limited.
A truism that synthesizes several notions about his thinking.
7. Immortal and indestructible, it surrounds everything and destroys everything.
Anaximander’s phrase for posterity.
8. The indefinite is divine, since it is immortal and imperishable.
Another reflection about indefinition.
9. Nature is eternal and does not age.
A description of Mother Nature and its particularities.
10. The earth is cylindrical, three times as wide as its depth and only the upper part is inhabited. But this earth is isolated in space and the sky is a complete sphere in the center of which, without support, our cylinder, the earth, is located at the same distance from all points in the sky.
These astronomical principles had a great impact on the knowledge of the Greek era.
10. The original principle of things is the aperirón. That is where they arise, that is where they later perish due to necessity.
About the aperirón and its qualities.
11. Things originate from the separation of opposites.
On the transformation of matter.
12. The era of humans cannot be explained without their predecessors.
Another phrase about the evolution of species.
13. The beginning and element of things is the indefinite.
In this thought he describes the origin of his metaphysical philosophy.
14. Anaximander of Miletus stated that infinity is the first principle, and that all things are generated from it, and are corrupted through it. Infinity is nothing more than matter. (Plutarch)
The Greek philosopher Plutarch thus summarized some of Anaximander’s ideas.
