Classical element

After the four- element theory is all being from the four basic elements or " essences " fire, water, air and earth.

In Chinese culture, there is a similar model, the five- element theory. Here are the five basic elements of metal, wood, earth, water and fire.

• 2.1 The detour through Egypt and Arabia
• 2.2 From the Middle Ages in Europe
• 2.3 Overview

• 3.1 Robert Boyle and the periodic table of the elements
• 3.2 Art
• 3.3 esotericism 3.3.1 Connection to the Enneagram

Greek Philosophers

Precursor: Thales, Anaximenes, and Heraclitus

The Greek philosopher Thales of Miletus ( 624-546 BC) in Ionia was of the opinion that all substances represent only different aspects of Urstoffes water, because water was present in his view, in the greatest quantity. He imagined that the earth as a flat disk would float on water and is that also available on the hemispherical sky vault water.

His theories were highly recognized, but it has been challenged, that water is the primary matter. In the following centuries astronomical considerations in Greece led to the conclusion that the sky is a sphere, whose center is located which is also spherical earth.

Anaximenes ( 585-525 BC) - also from Miletus - came to the conclusion that the air is the primary matter and become compressed to the center of the universe down, so that the other elements of water and earth entständen.

Heraclitus (ca. 540-475 BC) from the neighboring city of Ephesus was of the opinion that the ever-changing and changing fire must be the primary matter, because everything in the universe converts.

Empedocles

The widest effect had its formulation the four elements attributed by the Greek natural philosopher Empedocles in the 5th century BC. The predecessor of Empedocles only quirks that we assign to the aggregate states today. One example is the liquefaction of the gas by pressure at Anaximenes. Also that solid substances are associated with the element earth already in Empedocles ' predecessors, liquid water and gaseous air corresponds to the present-day concept of aggregate states.

This scheme was maintained in Empedocles. In addition, Empedocles wrote the elements but still a peculiarity to which to our best present elements from the Periodic Table of the Elements: He assumed the four elements would be eternally existing and unchanging basic substances which form by mixing the variety of substances.

Although these principles indicate in parts already on modern science, must not be overlooked that in Empedocles the four elements were first introduced as gods. However, there is no consensus on which God which he then assigned element. Some authors assume that the fire to Zeus, Hera the air, the earth the Aidoneus ( Hades ) and the water of Nestis ( Persephone ) was assigned, others suggest Empedocles texts in the sense that Hera the earth and the Aidoneus air had been assigned ..

By assigning the elements to deities were the four elements of other properties that are not only in the medical field ( cf. humoral pathology ), but also extend into psychology. The fire was associated with single-mindedness, ambition, commitment. Water is the gentle element, the flexible and soft, the air element is lively, flexible and change oriented and ultimately stands for the earth Contributed hard, rigid and resistant. All things therefore have a characteristic proportion of the four elements. Springs are mainly air, a high content of stones earth element. This pumice has again much air element, rock crystal, the water element and pyrite rata fire element. Also on humans subsequently hits to an individual mixture of these four elements. Diseases are thus an imbalance of the elements. The physician earlier period treated diseases by supplying a missing element through food or through medicinal plants or he deduced too much. Ausleitungsverfahren that are now used by medical practitioners, were originally based on this idea.

Successor

The four- element theory was further developed by later Greek philosophers. Plato (ca. 428-347 BC) located in the Timaeus each of the four elements and the ether ever a regular body and placed the four elements as a cycle is (Tim. 49 bf). Aristotle ( 384-322 BC), in turn, gave the four elements, the properties of hot / cold and dry / moist and called the ether as the other four elements ( earth, water, air and fire ) underlying quintessence.

The Stoics developed the theory further by introducing the pneuma. The crude Pneuma is absorbed through the respiratory and " cooked " by the fire of the liver, that is made ​​usable for the body. All elements which are absorbed by the body, must only through the digestive fire (especially the liver) are activated, air and fire are among the most active elements. Accordingly, air and fire were considered active pneumaartige elements and earth and water as passive elements. Pneuma fulfilled many functions that Aristotle then assigned to the ether.

This theory was obtained in this way in Europe through the Middle Ages and remained in the medicine to the Enlightenment is the determining basis.

Alchemy

The detour via Egypt and Arabia

Alexander the Great conquered the Persian Empire collapsed, the BC apart after his death in 323. Ptolemy, one of Alexander's generals, made ​​in Alexandria the Muses a temple, build a "museum " that has the same function as a modern university. The museum with the Library of Alexandria was in the period following a center of scientific research. There the Greek philosophy combined with the Egyptian doctrine of applied chemistry. As in Egypt chemical knowledge were closely connected with religion, had two effects:

• A spiritual note came into the theory of the elements, the preoccupation with the " Subtle " featuring the current alchemy as opposed to the current chemistry. We arranged the elements in each specific characteristic metals; by absorption of the metals or even by wearing the appropriate jewelry these elements energy could be transferred to humans. Gold belongs to the fire, silver water, mercury is part of the air element and lead belongs to the earth element.
• We looked at the knowledge about alchemy as a secret knowledge ( esoteric ) and began deliberately to write texts on alchemy incomprehensible.

The Arabs occupied Egypt 641. They took over the chemical knowledge of the Egyptians and developed it further. The knowledge area of ​​material conversion they called Al- Kimiya (from Greek Chemeia ). With the contacts of the Arabs in the Mediterranean and through the Crusades it came in the 12th and 13th centuries as alchemy to Europe.

From the Middle Ages in Europe

In alchemy, the late Middle Ages and early modern period, the four elements and the quintessence play an essential role as the fifth element.

After the medieval folk beliefs significantly influenced by Paracelsus formulated in the 16th century the four elements stand in front of each specific spirit beings that are referred to in this context as elemental beings:

• Earth spirits or gnomes,
• Water spirits or Undine,
• Air spirits or sylphs
• Fire spirits or salamanders.

See also nature spirits.

The four- element theory was acquired by the astrology. Here, each of the zodiac signs were assigned to one of four elements.

Survey

The following table provides an overview of the elements and their associated bodies, properties, zodiac signs, elementals and directions.

Today's meaning

Robert Boyle and the periodic table of the elements

The four- element theory was decisive for the chemical, which was previously called Alchemy to the 17th century. It was not until Robert Boyle introduced a development that resulted in the periodic table of the elements for today's element concept. As elements are those substances defined, " which can be not split further by chemical methods into other substances ." In Boyle, the separation of the concepts of alchemy and chemistry goes back. So now only the esoteric direction the substance doctrine is called alchemy. Since the term "element" lost its reference to the physical material states, the term was coined new state of matter.

Art

In art history, one encounters numerous allegorical representations of the elements. As with the planets or the weekdays there are also elements in the references to mythological deities, somewhat variable. For example, the earth symbolized by Cybele, the water through Neptune, Juno, and the air through the fire by Jupiter.

The comic series about the superhero team The Fantastic Four of the U.S. publisher Marvel Comics also makes use of the four elements. The team consists of superheroes Mr. Fantastic ( Mr. Fantastic, water), the thing ( The Thing, earth), the Invisible ( Invisible Girl, air) and the Human Torch (Human Torch, fire).

A variant of the film yielded 1997 The Fifth Element, which introduces love as quintessence. Medial origin of this variant is the U.S. cartoon series Captain Planet (1990-1993), unite in the five youthful heroes from around the world the elements of fire, water, wind, earth and love to Captain Planet, the guardians of the planet, in the fight to send against the polluters.

Esoteric

Some representatives of esotericism as Franz Bardon and Rudolf Steiner share the subtle into several "worlds" of different densities, which are each divided into five to seven levels. In each world, the lowest four levels carry the names of the elements. Max Heindel shall make the same division, replaced the names of the four elements but by the aggregate states.

The elements of teaching and related natural philosophical ideas are demonstrated in the formation of concepts of soul and psyche. This is confirmed today linguistically in scientific disputes about terminological preferences ( soul - psyche).

Connection to the Enneagram

The elements of fire and water are the reference points for the Enneagram. The Fire element is below, situated above the water element, the element of air left and the element earth right. Left and right side of the Enneagram are the male and female characters, of which Carl Gustav Jung - speaking in his distinction between anima and animus - without reference to the Enneagram. The distinction between male and female characters in the Enneagram is described by Claudio Naranjo. The term of the transition element goes back to Heraclitus. In the classic, antique four- element theory, however, only the fire, the property is male, the water associated with the property female. Air and Earth are transition elements in the original teaching.