Question

Anaximander held as a cosmic principle ______

a. water vapor (steam)
b. the numbers in things
c. the balance of opposites
d. all of the above
e. none of the above

Answer 1

Anaximander's cosmic principle was the 'apeiron,' the indefinite or boundless, which does not match any of the options provided in the multiple-choice question.

Step-by-step explanation:

Anaximander, a PreSocratic philosopher from the Milesian school, held a unique view on the cosmic principle that governed the universe. He proposed that the fundamental substance was not water, air, or any specific element, but rather the apeiron, which is the indefinite or boundless. This contrasts with his contemporaries; Thales, who argued that water was the basic substance, and Anaximenes, who believed air filled that role. Anaximander's concept of the apeiron refers to an infinite, indeterminate primordial mass, which contained the seeds of all things and from which all things emerged. Hence, when asked what Anaximander held as a cosmic principle, the answer would be e. none of the above, as none of the options provided correctly state his perspective on the cosmic principle.