PHL109: Ancient Philosophy: Heraclitus

The Phoenix Pre-Socratic series is designed for modern students of the Pre-Socratic philosophers. This volume provides the Greek text of Heraclitus with a new, facing page translation together with a commentary outlining the main problems of interpretation and the philosophical issues raised by Heraclitus' work. The volume also contains an English translation of substantial material from the ancient testimonia concerning Heraclitus' life and teaching, and offers selective bibliographic guidance. While much of the commentary follows lines of interpretation that have won general acceptance, it differs from many in its claim that the logos of which Heraclitus speaks in fragments 1, 2 and 50 means, essentially, 'statement.' This statement, uttered in words by Heraclitus, reflects that statement everlastingly uttered by the cosmos itself, which descriptively tells of how things are and prescriptively lays don patterns of cosmic activity that serve as the basis for human laws (fragment 114).

Edited with an introd. and commentary by G.S. Kirk.

Translation of Heraklit, which is a summary of the papers from the Heraclitus Seminar held at the University of Freiburg i. Br., during the winter semester 1966-1967.

Behind the superficial obscurity of what fragments we have of Heraclitus' thought, Professor Kahn claims that it is possible to detect a systematic view of human existence, a theory of language which sees ambiguity as a device for the expression of multiple meaning, and a vision of human life and death within the larger order of nature. The fragments are presented here in a readable order; translation and commentary aim to make accessible the power and originality of a systematic thinker and the first great master of artistic prose. The commentary locates Heraclitus within the tradition of early Greek thought, but stresses the importance of his ideas for contemporary theories of language, literature and philosophy.

Contents: Remarks on the difference between Fink's and Heidegger's approaches to Heraclitus / Friedrich-Wilhelm von Herrmann -- Hegel Heidegger Heraclitus / David Farrell Krell -- Man and disclosure / Kenneth Maly -- Hades : Heraclitus, Fragment B 98 / John Sallis -- Fire and logos : the speech of fire and its contradictions / Ruben Berezdivin -- Physis, Sophia, Psyche / Daniel Guerriere -- Heraclitus : fire, dream, and oracle / Frank A. Capuzzi