Men would live exceedingly quiet if these two words, mine and thine, were taken away

Men would live exceedingly quiet if these two words, mine and thine, were taken away

Anaxagoras, a pre-Socratic philosopher from ancient Greece, believed in the concept of nous, or mind, as the driving force behind the universe. He posited that everything in the world is made up of small particles called "nous" or "mind-stuff," which are infinitely divisible and constantly in motion. Anaxagoras also believed that the universe is governed by a rational order, and that everything happens for a reason.

In the context of Anaxagoras' philosophy, the idea that men would live exceedingly quiet if the words "mine" and "thine" were taken away takes on a deeper meaning. Anaxagoras believed that the universe is interconnected and that everything is ultimately part of a greater whole. In this worldview, the concepts of ownership and possession are ultimately illusory, as everything is ultimately connected and part of the same universal mind.

If we were to remove the words "mine" and "thine" from our vocabulary, we would be forced to confront the interconnectedness of all things and the ultimately arbitrary nature of ownership. Without the concept of possession, there would be no need for competition or conflict over resources. Instead, people would be more inclined to live in harmony with one another and with the natural world.

Anaxagoras' philosophy challenges us to rethink our relationship to the world around us and to consider the implications of our actions on a larger scale. By recognizing the interconnectedness of all things and the ultimately illusory nature of ownership, we can begin to live more harmoniously with one another and with the world around us.