THE SCHOOL OF ATHENS: Focus on Heraclitus

Heraclitus came from Ephesus in Asia Minor and lived around 500 BC. Although his writings were notorious for their obscurity, we do know some things about his thought.  He believed that all things are ultimately made up of fire and that the world is subject to a constant flux of opposites.  A road that goes downhill, for instance, also goes uphill at the same time, and when you step into a river twice you are both stepping into the same river and not.  Understanding, Heraclitus claimed, is best found through introspection.