Clear all
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.