Radical Flux

After considering the pre-Socratic philosophers whose main points we reviewed in class this past week, I believe the philosopher who intrigues me the most is Heraclitus. I am attracted to the fact that he is a metaphysical and epistemological optimist; to me it is comforting to believe in a definable arche and I think I generally subscribe to the idea that the natural world is knowable, intelligible, and accessible. Heraclitus's idea of fire as arche is especially significant. While today with modern science we know of the basic molecular structure and atomic make-up as applied to the world around us, I think the idea Heraclitus touched on is extremely important. Radical flux-the recognition of the inability to pin anything down and the concept that the world is in a constant state of change-is a critical component of life and is absolutely undeniable. I think it is perhaps the most important aspect of living, or 'becoming' as Heroclitus would say, and is essential to embrace if you intend to discover Truth. To attempt to control your surroundings is naive and to believe that you can is ignorant. I think it is interesting to be able to understand and define life by consciously letting go of any hope of a concrete understanding or definition, and accept the fact that everything is constantly in flux.