Single Idea 1713

[catalogued under 27. Natural Reality / A. Classical Physics / 1. Mechanics / a. Explaining movement]

Full Idea

Thales seems, from what is recorded of him, to have supposed that the soul is something productive of movement, if he really said that the magnet has soul because it produces movement in iron.

Clarification

'Soul' is the Greek word 'psuché', which covers mind and consciousness and life

Gist of Idea

Thales must have thought soul causes movement, since he thought magnets have soul

Source

report of Thales (fragments/reports [c.585 BCE]) by Aristotle - De Anima 405a20

Book Reference

Aristotle: 'De Anima (On the Soul)', ed/tr. Lawson-Tancred,H.C. [Penguin 1986], p.135