Parmenides was a pre-Socratic philosopher who is often said to have invented the science of logic, but he actually created a science of metaphysics based on logic. He was born in Elea, in southern Italy, between 515-540 BC and died around 446-470 BC. He was apparently a member of the aristocracy and was involved in the legislation of his city, Elea. Parmenides is also known as the “Fourth Physician.” Although there is a belief that Xenophanes was the founder of the Eleatic school, Parmenides is mostly considered to be its founder due to lack of sufficient evidence. Unlike Heraclitus, who spoke ambiguously and mysteriously, Parmenides placed great importance on the understanding of his ideas by people. He organized his philosophical thoughts systematically, including a poem consisting of an “Introduction” and two parts called “The Way of Truth” and “The Way of Opinion or Belief”.
Epistemology: Parmenides believed that reason was the only source of knowledge for humans and denied the role of the senses in knowledge. Metaphysics: Parmenides, like the philosophers before him, was fascinated by the question of what the foundation of the world is. Parmenides was the first philosopher to introduce “being” or “existence” as the foundation and principle in response to this question. Parmenides, an ancient Greek philosopher, believed that existence has no cause, it has always existed and will always exist. It neither arises from existence nor from nonexistence. Parmenides argued that there can be no explanation for the coming into being of something, nor can we ask how it was created or from where it was born. He refused to allow anyone to say or think that it had come into being from nothing.
Parmenides believed that since we only think about things when we think of them, and when we use a name, that name belongs to something. Therefore, thoughts and language must have subjects outside themselves. And since we can think about something or name it at any time, whatever can be thought or spoken about must exist at all times. In other words, thought is only related to existence, and existence, which exists in an infinite time, cannot change or perish.
Parmenides also claimed that ‘non-being’ does not exist; whatever exists is only ‘being’ and ‘existence.’ ‘Becoming,’ in contrast to ‘being,’ means ‘non-existence’ and is logically impossible. Movement is also impossible for the same reason because movement requires an empty or void space for the object to move in. But according to Parmenides, void space or ‘nothingness’ is a non-existent concept and cannot exist. Therefore, movement cannot exist. Parmenides argued that the definition of change and movement is the definition of something that does not exist, and this is logically impossible. Hence, the world of sensation, which is based on change and movement, does not exist and is an illusion. The only thing that can logically exist is pure existence itself.
Parmenides considered existence and being as material and believed it to be finite and spherical in shape. According to Parmenides’ teachings, the universal existing being is singular, motionless, timeless, immutable, absolutely simple, and indivisible. It is always the same, never becomes anything else, nor does it corrupt. It is immobile within its borders, equally full of itself everywhere, and has a spherical form. Therefore, the existing being is a homogeneous sphere that does not move or change. Although it has dimensions, it lacks qualities. It is neither alive nor has a rational soul. It is not God and does not have the attributes of divinity. It can be perceived through solitary thought, but this unity is prior to thought. Something that has dimensions but lacks attributes cannot be perceived through the senses. Therefore, the existing sphere, which is equally extended in all directions and lacks qualities, remains hidden from human sensory perception, which is dependent on perceptual multiplicity and change. The world of perception and everything that appears to happen in it is illusory. The true reality is static, equally extended in all directions, and lacks qualities. It can only be seen through the eyes of divine contemplation. However, according to Parmenides’ understanding of the relationship between thought and being, some have argued that for Parmenides, pure being is both material and spiritual. The material aspect of pure being is infinite space, and its spiritual aspect is thought.
The metaphysics of Parmenides was more obscure than that of other philosophers, and as a result, his views were not widely accepted among philosophers. Therefore, rejecting his ideas became the main concern of pre-Socratic philosophy. Regarding cosmology, Parmenides believed that the world has three characteristics: stability, immutability, and unity. His disciple, Zeno of Elea, attempted to confirm his views and became more famous than his teacher for raising Zeno’s paradoxes.
In his philosophical poem about nature, Parmenides said:
“Come, I will tell thee, and do thou hearken to my saying and carry it away: the only way is to know that being is, and that non-being is not.
This is the path of persuasion, for truth is its companion.
The other path is without substance, and cannot be travelled, for non-being does not exist.
This I bid thee ponder; for to learn the ways of truth, whereon depends the understanding of all things, one must first learn the truth that being is.”
In this poem, Parmenides discusses the concepts of being and non-being and emphasizes that being is the only reality that can be known and understood. Non-being, on the other hand, does not exist and cannot be understood or known. Thus, his philosophy revolves around the idea that reality is a single, unchanging, and eternal entity. Indeed, Parmenides is known as the founder of the Eleatic school of metaphysics, in which reality was conceived as a fixed and unchanging entity. His dualistic views held that “being” and “non-being” are opposing concepts, and “being” is only for something that always exists and can never be destroyed. In his book “On Nature,” Parmenides believed that reality is an eternal and unchanging entity that always exists. For him, reality is equivalent to “being,” and there is no change or transformation in reality.
Parmenides’ views on reality and existence had a significant impact on later philosophers. His ideas about “reality” and “existence” have been used in modern philosophy as one of its fundamental foundations. In fact, Parmenides’ views on “reality” and “existence” are recognized as one of the fundamental principles of modern philosophy. In the philosophy of Descartes, which emerged in the seventeenth century, the concept of “existence” was very important. Descartes, as one of the founders of modern philosophy, adhered to the principle “I think, therefore I am,” according to which, the existence of humans is due to their mind and thought. In the philosophy of Hegel, which emerged in the nineteenth century, Parmenides’ views on “reality” and “existence” are recognized as one of its fundamental foundations. Hegel, as one of the greatest modern philosophers, adhered to the existence of unchanging and eternal reality and believed that transformations and changes in reality are created through a process of contradiction and combination. Parmenides’ views on reality and existence have been used in modern philosophy as one of its fundamental foundations for philosophical discussions on issues such as reality, truth, change, and relativity.
Other philosophers in modern philosophy have also been inspired by Parmenides’ views. For example, the German philosopher Martin Heidegger, who worked in the twentieth century, was deeply inspired by Parmenides’ views on “reality” and “existence.” Heidegger adhered to the concept of “stillness in being” in his own theories and is known as one of the greatest modern philosophers who explored “existence” based on Parmenides’ ideas. The French philosopher Jean Baudrillard, who worked in the twentieth century, also drew inspiration from Parmenides’ views on “reality” and “existence.” Baudrillard, as one of the greatest postmodern philosophers, explored concepts such as the distinction between reality and simulation, and showed the influence of Parmenides’ ideas.
It is true that Parmenides’ views on “reality” and “existence” are recognized as one of the fundamental foundations of modern philosophy and have had a significant impact on philosophers and theorists. However, based on the remaining works of Parmenides, it seems that he did not directly engage in philosophical discussions about ethics. Nonetheless, some philosophers have referred to Parmenides’ ideas on “reality” and “existence” as one of the fundamental foundations for philosophical discussions on ethics and moral values. They believe that if we can identify the existence of reality without any changes, we can access the fundamental basis for ethical values. In other words, the existence of reality can be used as one of the fundamental foundations for philosophical discussions on ethics, which can help us to identify moral values and act accordingly. Although Parmenides did not directly engage in philosophical discussions about ethics, his ideas on reality and existence can still be used as one of the fundamental foundations for philosophical discussions on ethics and moral values. Based on the remaining works of Parmenides, it seems that he did not directly engage in philosophical discussions about the relationship between reality and ethics or between reality and religion. However, as you mentioned, some philosophers have argued that Parmenides’ ideas on “reality” and “existence” can be used as one of the fundamental foundations for philosophical discussions on ethics and moral values. They believe that by identifying the existence of reality without any changes, we can access the fundamental basis for ethical values.
Similarly, some philosophers have suggested that Parmenides’ ideas on reality and existence can be used in philosophical discussions about the relationship between reality and religion. However, it is important to note that Parmenides himself did not directly address this topic in his works, and any application of his ideas to discussions about religion or ethics would be a matter of interpretation and extrapolation by later thinkers. As I mentioned earlier, Parmenides did not directly address the relationship between reality and religion or between reality and ethics in his works. However, some philosophers have suggested that his ideas on “reality” and “existence” can be used as one of the fundamental foundations for philosophical discussions on religion and the deeper meaning of religious values. Similarly, his ideas on reality and existence can also be used in philosophical discussions about the relationship between reality and ethics. As you mentioned, some philosophers believe that if we can identify the existence of reality without any changes, we can access the fundamental basis for ethical values. Therefore, Parmenides’ ideas on reality and existence can be used as one of the fundamental foundations for philosophical discussions on the relationship between reality and ethics. It is important to note that while Parmenides did not directly address these topics, his ideas have had a significant impact on later philosophical discussions about reality, existence, religion, and ethics. His work remains an important point of reference for many philosophers in these areas.
Some philosophers have referred to Parmenides’ views on “reality” and “existence” as one of the fundamental foundations for philosophical discussions about ethics and moral values. They believe that if we can identify the existential reality without any changes, we can reach the fundamental basis for ethical values. In other words, existential reality, as one of the fundamental foundations for philosophical discussions about ethics, can help us identify moral values and act accordingly. Although Parmenides did not directly address philosophical discussions about the relationship between reality and ethics, his theories on “reality” and “existence” can be used as one of the fundamental foundations for philosophical discussions about ethics and moral values. According to some philosophers, Parmenides did not directly address philosophical discussions about ethics, but his theories on “reality” and “existence” can be used in ethical discussions. For example, Parmenides spoke of the existence of a fixed foundation for existential reality or the “principle of existence”, which is necessarily and absolutely present without showing any response to changes in time and place. For Parmenides, existential reality, as the main principle for everything, is full of flourishing and harmony and has coherence and homogeneity.
Parmenides’ views on “reality” and “existence” have led some philosophers to think about ethics and moral values. For example, some philosophers believe that if existential reality is considered a constant principle, it can help us reach moral values and the criteria used to examine them. Parmenides’ views have not been explicitly confirmed or rejected, and many philosophers believe that he did not directly address philosophical discussions about ethics. Therefore, we need to approach philosophical discussions about ethics with greater care, taking into account various perspectives. Based on the remaining works of Parmenides, it seems that he did not directly address philosophical discussions about justice. However, some philosophers believe that Parmenides’ theories about “reality” and “existence” can also be used in philosophical discussions about justice.
For example, some philosophers believe that if existential reality is considered a constant principle, it can help us understand concepts such as justice. If a fixed foundation for existential reality is accepted, we can use this foundation to define situations that lead to justice. Furthermore, some philosophers believe that Parmenides’ theories on “reality” and “existence” can be used as one of the fundamental foundations for philosophical discussions about justice and its definition. For example, some philosophers believe that if we can identify existential reality without any changes, we can achieve a more precise concept of justice. Therefore, based on different perspectives, it can be concluded that Parmenides did not directly address philosophical discussions about justice, but his theories on “reality” and “existence” can be used in philosophical discussions about justice. Unfortunately, no works on economics by Parmenides remain from his time. Therefore, we cannot directly refer to Parmenides’ opinions on economics during his time. Some philosophers believe that Parmenides’ theories on “reality” and “existence” can also be used in philosophical discussions about economics. For example, some philosophers believe that if existential reality is considered a constant principle, we can also discuss concepts such as economics and economic interactions.
It is possible that Parmenides’ theories on “reality” and “existence” can be used as one of the fundamental foundations for philosophical discussions about economics for some philosophers. However, we must keep in mind that these interpretations may not be explicitly confirmed or rejected by Parmenides, as unfortunately, no works on economics and economic interactions by him have survived. Unfortunately, there are no surviving works by Parmenides regarding his opinions on politics during his time. Therefore, we cannot directly refer to Parmenides’ opinions on politics during his time. However, some philosophers believe that Parmenides’ theories on “reality” and “existence” can be used in philosophical discussions about politics. For example, some philosophers believe that if existential reality is considered a constant principle, we can also discuss concepts such as government, power, and distribution of power in society.
It is possible that Parmenides’ theories on “reality” and “existence” can be used as one of the fundamental foundations for philosophical discussions about politics for some philosophers. However, we must keep in mind that these interpretations may not be explicitly confirmed or rejected by Parmenides, as unfortunately, no works on his opinions on politics have survived.
Parmenides, as one of the founders of philosophy, primarily focused on examining issues such as “reality” and “existence” and their ontology. However, from his surviving works, two fundamental theories about people and society can be mentioned:
1. Unity of existence: Parmenides believed that everything in the world is ultimately related to a fundamental and eternal thing. He held that the existence of everything in the world is related to a unitary and eternal thing, and everything is inherently coordinated with each other. Therefore, he concluded that people and society are also inherently coordinated with each other and should work together to achieve a common goal of existence.
2. Proportionality and harmony: Parmenides believed that the natural world is inherently proportional and harmonious. He believed that people and society should also act based on this principle and strive to maintain proportionality and harmony in society. For example, he believed that government and power should be designed in a way that is compatible with proportionality and harmony in society, and to achieve this goal, we should strive for balance and coordination in the distribution of power in society.
It can be said that Parmenides, in a way, emphasized the effort to maintain proportionality, harmony, and coherence in society. Although the topics he raised did not have any practical application in his own society or after him, the topics he raised were very valuable in his time and can be used as fundamental foundations for philosophical discussions about social and political issues. Also, as one of the founders of philosophy, the theory of “reality” and “existence” he proposed is known as one of the interesting and meaningful theories in the history of philosophy, regardless of the fact that “saying nothing” can also be considered as philosophy.