Empedoclean Superorganisms
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 23136251 |
|---|---|
| Authors | David Sedley (corresponding author) |
| Year | 2016 |
| Volume | 4 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Publication date | 2016-01-15 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Rhizomata (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2196-5102 • E-ISSN: 2196-5110 |
| Publisher | Walter de Gruyter GmbH (PUBLISHER • DE) |
| DOI | 10.1515/rhiz-2016-0006 |
| OpenAlex | W4245277170 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 7 |
| References cited | 1 |
In Empedocles’ zoogony, an original set of single-specialism organisms – solitary hands, eyes, etc. – combined into complex organisms, of which the fittest survived. A less recognized anticipation of (one strand of) the Darwinian tradition relates to the superorganism theory: what is naturally selected for is not the individual and/or its kin, but, as most manifestly in insect colonies, the cooperative group. Empedocles’ Love likewise works by promoting co-operation, whose emergence in complex organisms reflects her growing power, and the periodic world-organism, Sphairos, her ultimate triumph. This latter divinity is not a homogeneous blend of the elements, but a single self-sufficient superorganism.
Anticipation (artificial intelligence) · Biology · Darwinism · Divinity · Epistemology · Evolutionary biology · Homogeneous · Organism · Physics · Power (physics) · Set (abstract data type) · Sociology · Survival of the fittest · Theology · Classical Antiquity Studies · Classical Philosophy and Thought · Communication · Computer Science · Ecology · Genetics · Historical, Religious, and Philosophical Studies · Mathematics · Philosophy
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Afrodite zeídōros
| Unique citing works | 7 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,78 |
| Citation span | 2017 - 2024 (8) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 7 |