Page 43 - STOLEN LEGACY By George G. M. James

CHAPTER V

The Pre-Socratic Philosophers and the Teachings Ascribed to Them

It is absolutely necessary here in chapters V and VI to mention the doctrines of the so called
Greek philosophers in order to convince my readers of their Egyptian origin which is shown in
the summaries of conclusions which follow these teachings. It is also necessary to mention them
so as to serve the purpose of reference and to meet the convenience of readers.

I. The Earlier Ionian School

This Group consisted of (i) Thales (ii) Anaximander and (iii) Anaximenes. (i) Thales, supposed
to have lived 620–546 B.C. and a native of Miletus, is credited by Aristotle, with teaching that
(a) water is the source of all living things, and (b) all things are full of God.

Both history and tradition are silent as to how Thales arrived at his conclusions, except that
Aristotle attempts to offer his opinion as a reason: that is that Thales must have been influenced
by the consideration of the moisture of nutriment, and based his conclusion on a rationalistic
interpretation of the myth of Oceanus. This however is regarded as mere conjecture on the part
of Aristotle. (Turner's History of Philosophy, p. 34).

(ii) Anaximander, supposed to have been born 610 B.C. at Miletus, is credited with the teaching
that, the origin of all things is "the Infinite", or the Unlimited (i.e., apeiron), or the Boundless.
The Apeiron is regarded as equivalent to the modern notion of space, and the mythological
notion of chaos.

Both history and tradition are silent as to how Anaximander arrived at his conclusion: but here
again we find Aristotle offering his opinion as a reason, i.e., that Anaximander must have
supposed that change destroys matter, and that unless the substratum of change is limitless,
change must at sometime cease. This opinion is of course, mere conjecture, on the part of
Aristotle. (Turners History of Philosophy, p. 3536).

(iii) Anaximenes, also a native of Miletus, and supposed to have died in 528 B.C., is credited
with the teaching that all things originated from air.

Both history and tradition are silent as to how Anaximenes arrived at his conclusion; and all
attempts to furnish a reason are regarded as mere conjecture. (Turner's History of Philosophy, p.
37–38).

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Stolen Legacy: Greek Philosophy is Stolen Egyptian Philosophy by George G. M. James
The Journal of Pan African Studies 2009 eBook