Biography of Anaximenes | Greek philosopher.

(?, h. 588 BC.-?, h. 534 BC) Greek philosopher. Disciple of Anaximander and Parmenides, most of the details of the biography of Anaximenes and his activities are unknown. According to the historian Apollodorus, Anaximenes lived around the time of the taking of Sardis and died before the city of Miletus was destroyed (494 BC).

Member of milesia school, Anaximenes stated that the principle of material and first, the origin of all things (arche) was the air, sensitive substance, but that verges on the incorporeal. Explains the origin of all things from a dual process whereby air is changed: rarefaction, which gives rise to the fire, and condensation, which derive the clouds, water, Earth and rocks.

With these two notions, Anaximenes explains the changes of nature, or what is the same, two modes of movement: quantitative and qualitative. The whole world is wrapped up in the air as his own soul. The human soul, in the soul of the world, is also air. Thus conceived the world as a living being, similarly to as conceived the souls of men: "In the same way as our soul, being air, holding us, also a breath and air surround the whole world." In concept, the land is flat and fleet, but not on water, as such, but in the air; He also argued that the stars do not move under the Earth but around it.

Extracted from the website: Biografías y Vidas