Reference

Heraclitus was a pre-Socratic philosopher known for his doctrine that change is central to the universe, encapsulated in his famous saying, "You cannot step into the same river twice." His relationship with other pre-Socratic philosophers was complex and often critical.

1. Criticism of Predecessors: Heraclitus was known to criticize his predecessors and contemporaries for failing to understand the true nature of reality (source: Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy). For instance, he criticized Pythagoras for his approach to knowledge and empirical evidence.

2. Debate with Parmenides: One of the most notable philosophical rivalries was with Parmenides. While Heraclitus emphasized the constant change and flow of the universe, Parmenides argued for the exact opposite – that change is an illusion and reality is unchanging and eternal (source: Study.com).

3. Influence and Contradictions: Heraclitus influenced other philosophers by introducing the concept of the unity of opposites, suggesting that contradictory forces are interconnected and interdependent within the universe (source: SparkNotes).

4. Contemporary Views: Despite his critical stance, Heraclitus's ideas did influence and were engaged with by several other philosophers. This includes discussions with figures like Xenophanes, who critiqued traditional views on gods and advocated for a unitary principle (source: pre-Socratic philosophy - Wikipedia).

Here are a few relevant images concerning Heraclitus and the pre-Socratic philosophers:

For a deeper dive into Heraclitus’s relationships and critiques of other philosophers, you may explore the detailed articles provided:

• Wikipedia - Heraclitus
• Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy - Heraclitus
• SparkNotes - Pre-Socratic Philosophy