Learn Anaximander’s philosophy in simple words. Discover his idea of Apeiron, the problem of change, vortex motion, balance of nature, early evolution theory, and rejection of mythology – perfect for quick student revision.

Table of Contents:

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Anaximander – The First Philosopher to Write in Prose

• Anaximander was a student or colleague of Thales, from Miletus, living around 610/612 – 545/546 BC.
• He was younger than Thales.
• Wrote a book called “On Nature”, the first known philosophy book written in prose (not poetry).
• Only one sentence from the book survives today, as the rest was lost over time.
• Created the first known map of the world based on his knowledge at that time.
• Predicted an earthquake.
• Made a sundial, which scholars believe was used to track seasons, not time.

Summary:

Anaximander of Miletus was an important early Greek philosopher and a student of Thales. He is known for writing the first philosophy book in prose, creating the first known world map, and designing a sundial. He also made early scientific predictions, such as forecasting an earthquake. His work marked a major step in recording philosophy in written form.

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Anaximander’s Rejection of Water as the Primary Substance

• Like Thales, Anaximander believed there is one fundamental substance behind all reality.
• Thales said it was water, but Anaximander disagreed.
• Reason 1: Water cannot produce its opposite, fire. Opposites cannot come from each other.
• Reason 2: If everything came from water, everything would have turned back into water by now.
• Anaximander identified four opposite qualities:
  • Hot ↔ Cold
  • Wet ↔ Dry
• These qualities produce four basic elements:
  • Hot → Fire
  • Cold → Earth
  • Wet → Water
  • Dry → Air
• None of these elements or qualities can be the fundamental substance, because they cannot explain their opposites and would have transformed everything into themselves over time.

Summary:

Anaximander rejected Thales’ idea that water is the origin of all things. He argued that opposites cannot create each other, and no element like water, air, fire, or earth can be the primary substance. Instead, he looked for something beyond these four elements that could explain the variety of qualities in the world.

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Anaximander’s Concept of Apeiron – The Boundless Origin of Everything

• The primary substance according to Anaximander is called Apeiron (Greek for “without limit” or “boundless”).
• The word comes from: A = without, peirar = limit.
• Four ways Apeiron is described:
  1. Boundless – has no internal or external boundary, no fixed shape, and no limits.
  2. Infinite in time – has no beginning; it always existed and will always exist.
  3. Indefinite in quantity – no fixed amount; can produce anything in any quantity.
  4. Undefinable – has no specific property or quality, so it can produce all opposite qualities (hot/cold, wet/dry).
• The four opposite qualities in the world (hot–cold, wet–dry) create the four elements: fire, earth, water, and air.
• Since opposites cannot create each other, they must come from something more fundamental — the Apeiron.

Summary:

Anaximander believed the universe comes from Apeiron, an eternal, limitless, and undefined source. Unlike water, air, fire, or earth, Apeiron has no boundaries, no fixed quantity, and no specific qualities, allowing it to generate all opposites and elements. This makes it the ultimate origin of everything in existence.

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Anaximander’s Explanation of Change – The Vortex Motion

• Problem of change: How does one primary principle (Apeiron) turn into many different objects?
• Anaximander’s answer: Through vortex motion – a swirling rotation like water draining or air spinning.
• Example: In a pan of water mixed with materials of different weights (sand, limestone, granite), rotating the water makes heavy particles move to the center and lighter ones move outward.
• The early universe was a chaotic mixture (Apeiron). Vortex motion separated elements:
  • Heavy → Earth (center)
  • Around Earth → Water
  • Above water → Air
  • Outermost layer → Fire
• Stars are outer fire, visible through holes in surrounding rings.
• He likely thought of vortex motion because celestial bodies (Sun, Moon, stars) appear to move in the sky.
• Fire rises upward, which explains why he imagined it in the outermost layer.

Summary:

Anaximander believed that the world formed when the boundless Apeiron began to rotate in a vortex motion. This spinning separated heavy and light elements, placing earth at the center, water around it, air above that, and fire on the outermost ring. The stars we see are parts of this outer fire shining through gaps.

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Anaximander’s Theory of Balance – How Opposites Maintain Nature

• After the four elements form, their qualities combine to create different things:
  • Cold + Wet → Earth and clouds
  • Hot + Dry → Fire
  • Warm + Wet → Life
• Opposite qualities (hot–cold, wet–dry) are fixed in a balancing relationship.
• When one quality dominates, it causes “injustice” to the other (e.g., too much heat overcomes cold).
• This “injustice” is later repaired — the dominating quality reduces, and the opposite increases.
• This cycle happens “according to the ordinance of time”, meaning nature has an inbuilt balance maintained over time.
• Homer spoke of moderation as a moral balance maintained by gods;
  Anaximander saw balance as a natural process maintained by time itself.

Summary:

Anaximander believed nature maintains balance between opposite qualities. When one overpowers the other, nature compensates over time, restoring equilibrium. This balance is not moral or divine, but a natural law of the world, ensuring that all forces remain in harmony.

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Other Important Ideas of Anaximander – Gravity and Early Evolution Theory

• Earth needs no support – Unlike Thales, who thought Earth floated on water, Anaximander said Earth stays in place because it is at the center, equidistant from everything, with no reason to move in any direction. This shows a primitive idea of gravity.
• Early theory of evolution – Humans likely came from other animal species.
  • Humans depend on their mothers for a long time after birth, unlike most animals.
  • If humans had always been like this, they would not have survived.
  • Therefore, early humans must have been like other animals and changed over time.
• Origin of life – Life began in the sea; humans are distant relatives of fish.
• Ideas link to modern concepts:
  • Origin of life in water
  • Evolution (later developed by Darwin)
  • Adaptation to the environment

Summary:

Anaximander introduced remarkable ideas ahead of his time. He explained that Earth stays in place without support because it is centrally positioned, an early insight into gravity. He also proposed that life began in the sea and humans evolved from other animals, adapting over time — anticipating later scientific theories of evolution and the origin of life.

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Key Points of Anaximander’s Philosophy

• Philosophical criticism – Learned from Thales, then criticised and improved his theory, showing how knowledge develops over time through questioning and refinement.
• Abstract thinking – Moved beyond concrete things like water to an unseen, unimaginable concept (Apeiron), showing advanced abstract reasoning.
• Detailed explanations – Addressed big questions like the first principle and the problem of change with clear examples and analogies, such as the vortex motion experiment.
• Primitive scientific ideas – Early concepts related to fluid dynamics (vortex motion), entropy (natural tendency towards balance), gravity, origin of life, evolution, and adaptation to environment.
• Rejection of mythology and poetry – Removed gods from natural explanations and wrote in prose instead of poetry, shifting from imagination to serious, reason-based writing.

Summary:

Anaximander’s philosophy is important for its critical approach, abstract reasoning, detailed explanations, and early scientific ideas. He rejected mythological explanations, focusing instead on natural laws and logical reasoning. His work marked a turning point in Greek thought, moving from poetic tradition to rational philosophy.