First of all: Yes, I know it's been thoroughly debunked that Earth, Air, Fire and Water are anything resembling the building blocks of existance. Nonetheless it is still a highly popular theme in myth and fantasy and thus worth discussing. Any answer trying to bring me out of the Dark Ages will be reported.
I have seen a variety of concepts regarding the place of living creatures in the Four Elements model. Some sources identify plant life as representative of the Element of Earth; some go further and also claim fish are formed of Water and birds of Air. Other sources say all living things, including fish, birds, and even plants, are formed of all four elements in balance; thus the Element of Earth would be composed solely of rock, soil and minerals.
Can the history of these divergent theories be traced? What was the opinion of Empedocles, who first posited the four-elements theory in Ancient Greece in the 5th century BC, and that of Plato, who was influenced by him?
2007-09-20
16:38:35
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3 answers
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asked by
Anonymous
in
Mythology & Folklore