phusikoi

Phusikoi is a term derived from the ancient Greek word "phusis," meaning nature. In the context of philosophy, it specifically refers to the earliest Greek philosophers, known as the Presocratics, who were primarily concerned with understanding the fundamental nature of the universe and its underlying principles. These thinkers, active from the 6th to the 5th centuries BCE, sought rational explanations for the cosmos, moving away from mythological interpretations.

The phusiskoi were characterized by their naturalistic approach, focusing on observable phenomena and proposing material explanations for existence. They debated questions such as the primary substance from which everything originates (arche), the causes of change, and the structure of the cosmos. Prominent figures like Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes, Heraclitus, Parmenides, and Empedocles are considered part of this philosophical tradition. Their inquiries laid the groundwork for subsequent philosophical and scientific thought in Western civilization. They are often divided into various schools based on their central doctrines, such as the Milesians, the Eleatics, and the pluralists.