the world is made of water - reflection
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the world is made of water - reflection
Parmenides was a pre-Socratic philosopher who lived in ancient Greece, in the city of Elea in southern Italy, in the 5th century BCE. He was the founder of the Eleatic school of philosophy, which emphasized the importance of reason and logical argument in understanding reality.
Parmenides is best known for his poem called "On Nature," which presents a metaphysical system that argues that reality is a single, unchanging, eternal, and indivisible entity, and that change and plurality are merely illusions created by our senses. He believed that the true nature of reality can only be grasped through reason and not through the senses.
Parmenides' ideas had a significant influence on later philosophers, including Plato and Aristotle, and his concept of the "One" became an important theme in the development of metaphysics in Western philosophy.
The poem "The World is Made of Water" is an interpretation / response to the philosophy of Parmenides. The poem begins with a reference to Parmenides' assertion that the world is not made of water, but rather is a single, unchanging entity. The speaker senses the instinct to run, perhaps indicating a desire to escape from the implications of this view. However, reason takes over, and the speaker seems to accept Parmenides' point of view.
The second stanza suggests a personal connection to this philosophy, indicating a time of youthful ignorance and emotional turmoil. The idea that the world is made of water is presented as a false spring, leaving phosphorus trails in the sea, perhaps suggesting a fleeting and illusory quality to our experiences.
The third stanza seems to shift focus to a more universal perspective, with a reminder that everything comes and goes on the rivers of the wind. The repetition of the phrase "the world is made of water" throughout the poem highlights the importance of this idea as a fundamental truth about the nature of reality.
The final stanza poses a question, asking if the reader has heard this world breathe - an invitation to contemplate the nature of reality as a single, unchanging entity, and to consider our own place within it. It’s an exploration of the tension between instinct and reason, and the challenge of reconciling our emotional experiences with a more objective understanding of reality
