Presocratic Philosopher
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Hidden in his riddles and paradoxes, Heraclitus believes that true knowledge and intelligence are two very different things. True knowledge, or wisdom, is sought by all, but is everyone looking for knowledge the right ways. Heraclitus believes that the many are wrong, because their definition of knowledge and way to approach it is incorrect.
“For many, in fact all that come upon them, do not understand such things nor when they have noticed them do they know them but they seem to themselves to do so (#3).” Heraclitus has an interesting approach to defining this problem among the many. They make it up. Their understanding is just what they interpret everything to be, which is not the actual truth because many follow the beliefs of the wrong people. These people are the kind that are not properly educated and therefore are an evil to society. Then Heraclitus says that the people should not follow the belief of the many, because the beliefs are formed from those that are evil and affect the people negatively.
Now, what does the popular believe? Heraclitus says that the many believe true knowledge is attained by learning as much as they possible can. “The best renounce all for one thing, the eternal fame of mortals, but the many stuff themselves like cattle (#4).” Scientists prove this everyday. The whole underlying reason behind science is to know everything. How the universe was created? What is everything made out of? Why dont cats and dogs get along? We want to know about everything. Heraclitus feels we need to know everything down to the core of its existence. “Pythagorus the son of Mnesarchus practiced inquiry more than all other men, and making a selection of these writings constructed his own wisdom, polymathy, evil trickery” (#15). Heraclitus believes the truth behind things is logos, which is Greek for many things (word, god, principle of the world, exc.). This truth is apart of everything, therefore can be found in everything. So, if one can find it, the truth or logos, in anything. Sounds a little complicated at first but think of it as a math problem. If a = x and b = x and c = x then why should