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Pre-Socratic Philosophy
The World and Language Must be Interpreted
An Introduction to Heraclitus’ Philosophy of Language
Do you know where the word ‘philosophy’ comes from?
The first known use of the word in a way we know it today was by Heraclitus (c. 500 BC) when he said,
“those who are lovers of wisdom (philosophos) must be inquirers into many things” (DK22B35)
Thus, Heraclitus and others (e.g. Parmenides, Thales, and Anaximander) are considered the first philosophers, as they were the first to distinguish themselves from other intellectuals of the time. They have also earned the name “pre-Socratic philosophers” because they predated Socrates.
Despite being some of the earliest of philosophers, their work remains highly influential to this day. For example, their views and arguments had an enormous impact on both Nietzsche and Heidegger in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
In this article, I consider one of the earliest philosophers in the Western tradition, Heraclitus, and his views on language. In doing so, I hope to show how deep discussions of language are not limited to modern philosophy but have been at the foundation of philosophy since its conception
