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Work #509 · Early

On Nature (Fragments)

Anaxagoras of Clazomenae
c. 460 BCE · Ancient Greek
Philosophical prose (fragments) · Pre-Socratic philosophy

Anaxagoras's c. 460 BCE fragments — Nous (Mind) as cosmic ordering principle

Attribute Fingerprint

Rows where works disagree are highlighted in gold. The full ontology grid is shown.

Attribute On Nature (Fragments) (Early)
Time · Extent Infinite
Time · Ontological Status Substantival
Time · Grain Continuous
Time · Freedom Non-Deterministic
Time · Traversability Linear
Time · Dimensionality One
Time · Direction Uni-directional
Space · Extent Infinite
Space · Ontological Status Substantival
Space · Curvature Flat
Space · Dimensionality Three
Space · Locality Local
Matter · Extent Infinite
Matter · Ontological Status Substantival
Matter · Conservation Conserved
Matter · Dimensionality Three
Matter · Locality Local
Observer · Time Instance Single
Observer · Space Instance Single
Observer · Knowledge Extent Partial
Observer · Knowledge Retainment Total
Observer · Physicality Embodied
Observer · Agency Both
Observer · Number Plural
Observer · Metaphysical Agency Cosmic-ordering
Observer · Moral Authority Reason
Observer · Theological Method
Energy · Extent Infinite
Energy · Ontological Status Substantival
Energy · Conservation Conserved
Energy · Dispersibility Irreversible
Information · Ontological Status Substantival
Information · Cosmic Conservation Conserved
Information · Personal Conservation Conserved
Information · Granularity Continuous

Dimension-by-Dimension Evidence

What each work's passages reveal about its stance on each of the six dimensions.

Time

On Nature (Fragments)

The cosmic-ordering time initiated by Nous.

Space

On Nature (Fragments)

The cosmic space of "everything in everything".

Matter

On Nature (Fragments)

Infinitely divisible matter with all ingredients.

Observer

On Nature (Fragments)

The cosmic Nous.

Energy

On Nature (Fragments)

Energies of Nous-initiated cosmic motion.

Information

On Nature (Fragments)

Cosmological prose framework.

Internal Tensions

Where each work's argument pulls against itself.

On Nature (Fragments)

Anaxagoras's Nous-doctrine inspired Plato and Aristotle but criticized by them for not fully developing teleology.