Fr Joseph Pallattil

The pioneers of western philosophy were early Greek philosophers. Since they were living before Socratic age, they are known as pre-Socratic philosophers. The basic thrust of these philosophers was to screen out the basic element of the entire universe. What is the basic substance of this world? What is the one, single, unifying element of these entire realities? Or in other words, can we comprise this world of differences into one single entity?

Thales, the first philosopher proposed water as the fundamental underlying component of the world; everything is composed of water. For, water can be found in the three states of matter; solid, liquid and gaseous. Anaximander said that there is an ‘Arche’ or a principle to be the basis of universe. But unlike Thales, he believed this basis had an ‘Apeiron’ (an unlimited substance) that acted as a source for everything. This source acted as the prime point of differentiation for polar opposites like hot and cold, light and dark and so on. Anaximenes is known for his doctrine that air is the source of all things. He seems to have held that at one time everything was air and all things are modifications of air. Air can be thought of as a kind of neutral stuff that is found everywhere, and is available to participate in physical processes.

Heraclitus says, “Listening not to me but to the Logos it is wise to agree that all things are one.” For Heraclitus, the divine Logos represents a unifying principle, an underlying constitution for all things in all places. Another philosophical landmark has been Empedocles’ assertion of four element theory of matter. It states that all matter is basically composed of four primary elements – earth, air, fire and water. Pythagoras regarded the world as perfect harmony and aimed his teaching on numbers is the basis for this harmony.

The findings of these pre-Socratic philosophers may not be relevant for us today. But their approach, that is incredible. Identity, uniqueness, differences are vital for them. But amidst of all these varieties in this universe, they can find elements of unity which bring everything together, which arrange everything in a commonality, which make each individual a member of a community. Our crucial challenge in this multi-cultural, multi-linguistic, multi-religious India is to concentrate upon the unifying elements rather than those elements of division, which make us possible to come closer. This search for unity in diversity and difference allows us to go beyond the barriers and boundaries, and help us to attain the attitude of universal solidarity. Uniformity in everything is a utopian ideal. There are many; finding the one in many is the ideal. There is plurality; exploring unity in plurality is the ideal. There are differences; searching sameness in the differences is the ideal.