Ether - mythology or the basis of scientific knowledge?

The concept of "ether" the mythology of the ancient peoples defines as a kind of divine substance. One of the most ancient philosophical concepts, it migrated from myths to the works of scientists and thinkers.

Mythological description

The embodiment of darkness - the goddess Nyx and her brotherErebus, the god of eternal darkness, was born from Chaos. From their union came the eternal Light - Ether, the bright Day - Hemera. And the night began to change the day, and the darkness - the light. Now lives Nyx in the abyss of Tartarus. Every day, near the copper door separating the realm of the dead from our world, the goddess of darkness meets Hemera, and in turn they bypass the earth.

This is how the mythology of ancient Greece describes the broadcast.This is the most popular version presented in the so-called “Mythological Library” of Apollodorus. The poem “Titanomachia”, attributed to the Thracian blind singer Famiris, tells that Ether and Gemer created Gay, Uranus, Tartar and Pont. The Latin exposition of the ancient Greek myths of Gigin tells that the Ether was the product of Chaos and darkness. Some ancient authors called Ether the father of Zeus or Uranus. Perhaps this is the second name of Uranus.

Orpheus dedicated the fifth verse to the deity of Light,which it appears in a different incarnation. Explains what ether is, the mythology is as follows: a super-peaceful place, an invisible and intangible entity that limits everything comprehensible and incomprehensible in the universe above. Rises above the visible world of all living and understandable to man.

In simpler language, this is the upper layer of air, the place where the ancient Greek gods live - the top of Olympus.

Ether - the foundation of the universe

An inexhaustible source of energy for all living things - this is how the best minds of antiquity determined the ether. Greek mythology became the basis of scientific works.

According to Plato, the greatest thinker of Hellas,from this substance was created the whole world. Aristotle introduces the concept of "ether" as the fifth element in addition to fire, earth, water and air. He considered him a kind of immortal body of divine origin. Ether has become the cornerstone of his cosmological theory. It was believed that this substance had a special property: it could move only in a circle, unlike the other four elements that could make a straight-line movement. Hesiod in his "Theogony" also calls the ether one of the components of all material in the surrounding world.

Many scholars and philosophers of antiquity, such asDemocritus, Epicurus, Pythagoras, used the definition of "ether" in their arguments about the structure of the universe. The Pythagoreans considered him not only one of the elements, but also part of the human soul.

"Ether" in ancient Rome

The outstanding Roman poet and philosopher Lucretiusgave a more specific explanation of the concept of "ether". The scientist believed that it is a material substance, only more subtle than matter that is familiar to the human eye. The movement of the planets, the Sun and the Earth occurs due to the continuous movement of the ether in space. The composition of the human soul is included as one of the material components, it is lighter than air and almost intangible.

Old Indian performances

It is interesting that there are similar judgments inancient Indian legends. The ether of the mythology of India calls "Akasha", but the essence of this substance remains the same: some substance that is the beginning of all living things. The ancient mentions of “akash” speak only about one of its manifestations - the primary sound, which is not perceived by human hearing and is in the sphere of subtle vibrations. Akasha is the primary intangible substance that has no form, but provides the basis for the universe and the whole variety of things.

It is believed that it is the Indian theory of "akasha"and laid the foundation for such a concept as "ether" in ancient Greek philosophy and science. It is striking that many centuries ago the thinkers of antiquity determined the properties of an inexhaustible source of energy, which was only discovered in the 20th century by the Serbian physicist Nikola Tesla, thanks to the influx and intuition.