Archelaus c. 490 BC – c. 405 BC
Archelaus (c. 490 BC – c. 405 BC) was a Greek philosopher of the Ancient era, associated with Pre-Socratic and Ancient Greek Philosophy.
Archelaus of Athens was a Greek pre-Socratic philosopher, pupil of Anaxagoras and, according to a strong ancient tradition, the teacher of Socrates. He combined his master's doctrine of an ordering Mind with original speculations about the origin of life from a primal warm and watery earth and about the conventional, rather than natural, character of justice and law. He was sometimes called the founder of physical philosophy at Athens, since with him the Ionian tradition of natural inquiry took root in the city that would soon become its center.
Key facts
- Nationality
- Greek
- Era
- Ancient
- Movements
- Pre-Socratic, Ancient Greek Philosophy
Selected quotes
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Attributed to Archelaus:
“Justice and law exist by convention, not by nature.”
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Attributed to Archelaus:
“Living things first arose from a warm earth nourished by rain.”
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Attributed to Archelaus:
“Mind orders the world but is itself part of nature.”
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Attributed to Archelaus:
“All things are mixtures, and the qualities of each are the proportions of the mixture.”
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Attributed to Archelaus:
“Cold and heat are the formative powers of the cosmos.”
Archelaus by topic
Frequently asked about Archelaus
- When did Archelaus live?
- Archelaus was born in c. 490 BC and died in c. 405 BC.
- Where was Archelaus from?
- Archelaus was a Greek philosopher of the Ancient era.
- What philosophical movements is Archelaus associated with?
- Archelaus was associated with Pre-Socratic and Ancient Greek Philosophy.
- What was Archelaus known for?
- Archelaus of Athens was a Greek pre-Socratic philosopher, pupil of Anaxagoras and, according to a strong ancient tradition, the teacher of Socrates.
- How many quotes are attributed to Archelaus?
- There are 5 attributed quotations from Archelaus in the 1001Philosophers collection, organized by topic.