Abstract

Hence Heraclitus' theology is a pantheism with an ethical slant and does not resemble a Milesian monistic view at all. His view is dependent upon a radically new assessment of what divinity is, viz. opposites united by war. As a result, we find no negative theology in Heraclitus' views. He is not concerned with rebuking or denying traditional tenets or attitudes of the common religion. When he does refer to the gods or to ritual practices it is not to disapprove of them as such. Rather, it is the people who perform these rites that he reproaches. Heraclitus, then, retains many traditional views both in his theology and in his other views . ;The results of such a study reveal that Heraclitus holds a double pantheistic doctrine. The first side asserts that all things are divine. This is because he defines divinity in terms of the harmony of ever-warring opposites and also believes that all things are essentially just this internal conflict. The second side to his pantheism concerns humans. Because he treats humankind separately, Heraclitus implies that humans are not automatically part of the first aspect. This is important, for Heraclitus is therefore taking the first steps toward viewing human beings as ethical creatures who stand apart from nature. He tells us that we as ethical beings have the choice either to conform to the world around us or to close our eyes and ears to it and act like one of the base multitude. The plentiful criticisms of the polloi found in the sayings are mostly in terms of their ignorance and unreflective acts. The ethical person, however, knows the real world and acts in accordance with it, and it is that person who enjoys a divine character. ;Heraclitus' theology is not well understood. The history of scholarship rarely mentions it and when it does, it usually connects it with his supposed tenet of a reified eternal Logos or a divine fire in the monistic Milesian mode. Yet a close examination of the key fragments reveals a different sort of pantheistic theology. By scrutinizing six important sayings in terms of their text, context, and meaning we can arrive at a historically accurate view of his theology