Tópicos (Nov 2013)

LA FORMULACIÓN DEL PRINCIPIO DE INMANENCIA EN EL FRAGMENTO DE ANAXIMANDRO

  • Leonardo Ordóñez Díaz

DOI
https://doi.org/10.21555/top.v30i1.195
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 30, no. 1
pp. 81 – 121

Abstract

Read online

A New Interpretation of Anaximander’s Fragment. One may think that the interpretation of Anaximander’s fragment has only mere ‘archeological’ interest, and that its relevance concerns only the history of Greek philosophy. However, this is a mistake. As I argue in this paper, Anaximander’s fragment can be seen as the first formulation of the principle of immanence in western thought. The major obstacle in proving this thesis lies in the unilateral interpretation that has dominated the reading of the fragment in the last century. In this paper, I will propose a new way to interpret the fragment. The article is broken up in four parts. First, I will indicate the short coming so traditional interpretations. Second, I will critically examine Heidegger’s reading of the fragment. Third, following the Gadamerian approach to hermeneutics, I will offer a new interpretation that overcomes the flaws of both traditional and Heideggerian interpretation. Finally, I will show the relevance of Anaximander’s thesis in today’s world.

Keywords