— Thales of MiletusReported in Aristotle, De Anima A5, 411a7, and in Diogenes Laertius 1.27; approximate English rendering
Commentary
This saying, reported by Aristotle in his discussion of the soul, is often cited as evidence that Thales attributed life or divinity to matter in general. Aristotle links the claim to the observation that the lodestone moves iron, which he takes to imply a kind of soul in the stone. G. S. Kirk, J. E. Raven, and M. Schofield discuss the saying as an early instance of animistic explanation, while noting the difficulty of knowing whether the report reflects Thales' own formulation. Charles Kahn argues that the idea of a living, divine cosmos was common in Ionian thought and need not be specific to Thales. Jonathan Barnes cautions that Aristotle's interpretation may project later concepts of soul onto Thales, and that the saying should be read with that caution. W. K. C. Guthrie, in A History of Greek Philosophy, treats the saying as part of a broader Milesian conception of a cosmos alive with divine power. Richard McKirahan notes that the phrase full of gods may have been intended to describe the world's animate character rather than to assert a theological doctrine. The English is an approximation of Aristotle's report, and the context of the De Anima should be consulted before quotation.
Commentary
This saying, reported by Aristotle in his discussion of the soul, is often cited as evidence that Thales attributed life or divinity to matter in general. Aristotle links the claim to the observation that the lodestone moves iron, which he takes to imply a kind of soul in the stone. G. S. Kirk, J. E. Raven, and M. Schofield discuss the saying as an early instance of animistic explanation, while noting the difficulty of knowing whether the report reflects Thales' own formulation. Charles Kahn argues that the idea of a living, divine cosmos was common in Ionian thought and need not be specific to Thales. Jonathan Barnes cautions that Aristotle's interpretation may project later concepts of soul onto Thales, and that the saying should be read with that caution. W. K. C. Guthrie, in A History of Greek Philosophy, treats the saying as part of a broader Milesian conception of a cosmos alive with divine power. Richard McKirahan notes that the phrase full of gods may have been intended to describe the world's animate character rather than to assert a theological doctrine. The English is an approximation of Aristotle's report, and the context of the De Anima should be consulted before quotation.