Nature, Essence, and Principles: A Philosophical Inquiry
The Concept of Physis
The word ‘physis’ originates from the Greek term φύσις, which translates to ‘natura’ in Latin and ‘naturaleza’ in Spanish. It refers to nature as we understand it, the reality of things.
a) Physis signifies the manifest existence of things, appearing in their multiplicity and specificity, constantly changing. It contrasts with fiction.
b) It also denotes the specific mode of being or the essence of something. The essence is expressed through a definition, answering the question ‘what is it?’ using essential characteristics.
c) Philosophically, the concept of essence relates to the first principle, the origin from which things are produced and defined, making them what they are.
The Presocratics’ Problem of Physis
The Milesians were the first to address the problem of physis.
- Thales: Proposed water as the principle of all things, suggesting everything originates from and becomes water.
- Anaximander: Identified the principle as the ‘apeiron,’ the indefinite and boundless.
- Anaximenes: Considered air as the principle, linking it to the soul.
- Heraclitus of Ephesus: Argued that fire is the origin and principle of things.
Fire, air, and water are metaphors for the ‘logos,’ the common ratio.
The Problem of the Principle
The Greeks found it inadmissible to believe that everything originated from nothing.
- Is there an organizing principle that defines the world?
- What makes each thing what it is?
Dialectical Response
Heraclitus: The world is organized by the logic of the ‘logos’ or contradictions. The ‘logos’ distinguishes and relates things, it is not a being but a logical operation.
Aristotle’s View
Aristotle believed that the world is ordered by an eternal, unchanging, and perfect being, the ‘unmoved mover,’ akin to a God. This being is pure thought, coinciding with the principle of non-contradiction.
Christian Philosophy
Christian philosophy posits that God, an infinite being, creates the world from nothing. The idea of God is proof of God’s existence.
God is perfect, encompassing all perfections. The concept of a perfect being implies existence, as existence is a perfection. Thomas Aquinas, influenced by Aristotle, presented five proofs for God’s existence.
Via 1: There must be a first cause, as existence cannot arise from nothing.
Ancient thinkers believed the world had a beginning, while modern thinkers believe it is finite. Human reason is the organizing principle of the universe.
The Confusion of Language
Language is real and specifies things, but can it describe things that are not material? Is language real? We cannot deny its reality, as reality itself is subject to change.
Essential Conditions of a Real Thing
We have an unconscious belief that things exist. These things exist independently of their meaning. Two conditions relate to the existence of things:
- There must be something (if there is nothing, there are no things).
- That something must be defined (it must be something specific).
There is a contradiction between the definite and indefinite. To form meanings, an essential operation is needed, for example, different desks become the same thing when counted. Languages quantify things in two ways:
- Undefined: many, few, enough
- Defined: all, none, 1, 2, 3, 4
The Difference Between Truth and Reality
The confusion between truth and reality is a double confusion. What is real is often considered true, but what is dominant is not necessarily true.