Greek Aristotle
"A man’s character is his fate"
-Heraclitus
In order for us to truly understand this philosophers quote, we need to know who he was and what his mindset was during this time. Heraclitus is considered to be one of the most creative and influential philosophers in his time. This philosopher is a firm believer in the popular saying "Everything is in Flux." This basically means that things are constantly changing and we have no control over it. Heraclitus was influenced by the theory of material monism, the coincidence of opposites and also by empirical observations that supported flux. He believed in the unity of opposites, stating that "the path up and down are one and the same", all existing entities being characterized by pairs of contrary properties. While there are many possible meanings Heraclitus meant when he stated this quote, I think it means that our choices and virtues mold our lives and therefore our destiny. The quote also defies the traditional view that our fate is decided by an otherworldly being such as God. Heraclitus is asking if we believe that we shape our own futures by how we act, or is our lives predetermined before we're born? According to Heraclitus, a persons character is what defines their life. I think that our fate is decided when we are made by god, and therefore we have no control over it. Furthermore, the question of why bad things happen to good people helps to support the idea that we are only in control of our daily lives, and not our overall life. Additionally, character isn't the only thing that decides our fate. Random events can have an impact on our lives. There are a large number of people who believe that personality helps to show them their place in life. This states that depending on how someone lives their life, what decisions they make, results in what kind of future they will have. I consider myself to be pretty religious, and I also believe in karma, so I always treat others how I would want to be treated.
-Heraclitus
In order for us to truly understand this philosophers quote, we need to know who he was and what his mindset was during this time. Heraclitus is considered to be one of the most creative and influential philosophers in his time. This philosopher is a firm believer in the popular saying "Everything is in Flux." This basically means that things are constantly changing and we have no control over it. Heraclitus was influenced by the theory of material monism, the coincidence of opposites and also by empirical observations that supported flux. He believed in the unity of opposites, stating that "the path up and down are one and the same", all existing entities being characterized by pairs of contrary properties. While there are many possible meanings Heraclitus meant when he stated this quote, I think it means that our choices and virtues mold our lives and therefore our destiny. The quote also defies the traditional view that our fate is decided by an otherworldly being such as God. Heraclitus is asking if we believe that we shape our own futures by how we act, or is our lives predetermined before we're born? According to Heraclitus, a persons character is what defines their life. I think that our fate is decided when we are made by god, and therefore we have no control over it. Furthermore, the question of why bad things happen to good people helps to support the idea that we are only in control of our daily lives, and not our overall life. Additionally, character isn't the only thing that decides our fate. Random events can have an impact on our lives. There are a large number of people who believe that personality helps to show them their place in life. This states that depending on how someone lives their life, what decisions they make, results in what kind of future they will have. I consider myself to be pretty religious, and I also believe in karma, so I always treat others how I would want to be treated.