Full Idea
Empedocles says it is evident that all the other bodies down to the 'elements' have their coming-to-be and their passing-away: but it is not clear how the 'elements' themselves, severally in their aggregated masses, come-to-be and pass-away.
Gist of Idea
The elements combine in coming-to-be, but how do the elements themselves come-to-be?
Source
comment on Empedocles (fragments/reports [c.453 BCE]) by Aristotle - Coming-to-be and Passing-away (Gen/Corr) 325b20
Book Reference
Aristotle: 'The Basic Works of Aristotle', ed/tr. McKeon,Richard [Modern Library Classics 2001], p.499
A Reaction
Presumably the elements are like axioms - and are just given. How do electrons and quarks come-to-be?