«Ἓν το πάν» of Heraclitus: from stoicism to Nietzsche

Philosophy

Abstract

The article seeks to research one of Heraclitus’ ideas, namely the «unity of all» (ἓν το πάν). This idea is usually regarded as obvious, and therefore not demanding detailed research. In place of this idea’s content researchers frequently consider its ethical effects, namely stoicism. Even if researchers keep the metaphysical level of the «unity of all» idea, they connect it with pantheism of German Romanticists, namely, Schelling’s «identity philosophy». The aim of the article is to clarify the idea of the «unity of all» in connection with Friedrich Nietzsche’s philosophy. The main method of studying Heraclitus’s poem «Περί Φύσεως» is hermeneutics, which, unlike other methods, considers integrity of Heraclitus’ idea. As a result of the research, stoicism and pantheism are recognized as not sufficient ways to understand Heraclitus’ idea of the «unity of all». Therefore, it is necessary to refer to Nietzsche’s philosophical heritage. For this purpose the seventy-fifth fragment of Heraclitus’ poem was taken as a basis for consideration («Those who are asleep are fellow-workers in what goes on in the world»), and after that the fifty-second fragment was considered («Time is a child at play, moving pieces in a board game; the kingly power is a child’s»). From the author’s point of view, the «unity of all» is not an optimistic teleology but a result of aesthetic contemplation.