Classical element 6313 224560724 2008-07-09T12:27:03Z Ashmoo 194089 /* Neo-Paganism */ a valid section, but totally unsourced for 8 months Many ancient [[philosophy|philosophies]] used a set of [[archetype|archetypal]] '''classical "elements"''' to explain patterns in [[nature]]. The word "[[element]]" in this context either refers to a [[state of matter]] (e.g. solid/earth, liquid/water, gas/air, plasma/fire) or a [[phase of matter]] (as in the Chinese [[Wu xing|''Five Phases'']]), rather than the [[Chemical elements]] of modern science. The [[Ancient Greece|Greek]] Classical Elements (Earth, Water, Air, Fire, and Aether) date from pre-Socratic times and persisted throughout the [[Middle Ages]] and into the [[Renaissance]], deeply influencing [[Europe]]an thought and culture. The [[Hindu]] and [[Japan]]ese also had essentially the same five elements: the four states-of-matter, plus a fifth element to describe that which was beyond the material world (non-matter). The concept is similarly found in [[India]] and [[China]], where it forms the basis of both [[Buddhism]] and [[Hinduism]], particularly in an [[Esotericism|esoteric]] context. The modern scientific states-of-matter, and, to a lesser extent, also the [[periodic table]] of the [[chemical element|elements]] and the concept of [[combustion]] (fire) can be considered successors to such early models. By contrast the Chinese had a somewhat different series of elements, namely Fire, Earth, Water, Metal and Wood, which were understood as different types of energy in a state of constant interaction and flux with one another, rather than the Western notion of different kinds of material. {{classic element}} ==Hindu, Japanese, and Greek systems== The dominant theory of classical elements, held by the Hindu, Japanese, and Greek systems of thought, is that there are five elements, namely [[Earth (classical element)|Earth]], [[Water (classical element)|Water]], [[Air (classical element)|Air]], [[Fire (classical element)|Fire]], and a fifth element known variously as ''Idea'', ''Void'' "[[quintessence]]" or [[Aether (classical element)|Aether]] (the term "quintessence" derives from "quint" meaning "fifth"). In Greek thought the philosopher [[Aristotle]] added [[Aether (classical element)#Fifth element|aether]] as the quintessence, reasoning that whereas fire, earth, air, and water were earthly and corruptible, since no changes had been perceived in the heavenly regions, the [[star]]s cannot be made out of any of the four elements but must be made of a different, unchangeable, heavenly substance.<ref>G. E. R. Lloyd, ''Aristotle: The Growth and Structure of his Thought'', Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Pr., 1968, pp. 133-139, ISBN 0-521-09456-9.</ref>. The Greek [[Pythagoras|Pythagoreans]] used the initial letters of these five elements to name the outer angles of their [[pentagram]].{{Fact|date=February 2007}} The Greek names of the elements are as follows: * Γαία, ''[[Gaia (mythology)|gaia]]'' [[earth]] * ὕδωρ, ''hydor'', [[water]] * ἀήρ, ''aer'', [[air]] * εἵλη, ''heile'', [[heat]] ([[fire]]) * ἰδέα, [[idea]] or ἱερόν, ''hieron'' "a divine thing" These five elements are sometimes associated with the five [[platonic solid]]s. ===Classical elements in Greece=== <!-- This section is linked from [[Democritus]] --> The [[Hellenic civilization|Greek]] classical elements are [[Fire (classical element)|fire]] ([[Image:Alchemy fire symbol.svg|20px]]), [[Earth (classical element)|earth]] ([[Image:Alchemy earth symbol.svg|20px]]), [[Air (classical element)|air]] ([[Image:Alchemy air symbol.svg|20px]]), and [[Water (classical element)|water]] ([[Image:Alchemy water symbol.svg|20px]]). They represent in [[Greek philosophy]], [[science]], and [[medicine]] the realms of the [[cosmos]] wherein all things exist and whereof all things consist. The ancient Greek word for element (''stoicheion'') literally meant "letter (of the alphabet)", the basic unit from which a word is formed. [[Plato]] mentions the elements as of [[The Presocratics|pre-Socratic]] origin, a list created by the [[Ionia]]n philosopher [[Empedocles]] (ca. 450 BC). Empedocles called these the four "roots"; Plato seems to have been the first to use the term "element (''stoicheion'')" in reference to air, fire, earth, and water.<ref>[http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Plat.+Tim.+48b ''Timaeus'' 48b-c]</ref> [[Image:Four elements representation.png|right|Four Classical Elements]] * [[Air (classical element)|'''Air''']] is primarily wet and secondarily hot. * [[Fire (classical element)|'''Fire''']] is primarily hot and secondarily dry. * [[Earth (classical element)|'''Earth''']] is primarily dry and secondarily cold. * [[Water (classical element)|'''Water''']] is primarily cold and secondarily wet. One classic diagram (right) has one square [[inscribed]] in the other, with the corners of one being the classical elements, and the corners of the other being the properties. The opposite corner is the opposite of the these properties, "hot - cold" and "dry - wet" According to [[Galen]], these elements were used by [[Hippocrates]] in describing the [[human body]] with an association with the [[four humours]]: yellow [[bile]] (fire), [[Melancholia|black bile]] (earth), [[blood]] (air), and [[phlegm]] (water). The concept of the classical elements proved extremely persistent in Europe, lasting through the Middle Ages to the early modern era. Just as the [[Aristotle|Aristotelian]] [[dogma]] was related to the Greek world view, the idea of classical elements in the Middle Ages composed a large part of the medieval [[world view]]. The [[Roman Catholic Church]] supported the Aristotelian concept of [[Aether (classical element)|aether]] because it supported the [[Christianity|Christian]] view of earthly life as impermanent and [[heaven]] as eternal.{{Fact|date=March 2007}} In Western [[astrology]] the concept of the four [[astrology and the classical elements|classical elements]] has survived from antiquity up until the present. The twelve [[Astrological signs|signs]] of the [[zodiac]] are divided into the four elements: [[Fire signs]] are Aries, Leo and Sagittarius, [[Earth signs]] are Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn, [[Air signs]] are Gemini, Libra and Aquarius, and [[Water signs]] are Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces. Most modern [[astrologers]] still view the four classical elements as a critical part of interpreting the [[natal chart|astrological chart]]. In [[divinatory tarot]],the suits of cups, swords, wands (batons) and pentacles (coins) are said to correspond to water, air, fire, and earth respectively. These correspond in the modern deck of [[playing cards]] to hearts, spades, clubs, and diamonds. ===Classical elements in Hinduism=== <!-- This section is linked from [[Akasha]] --> {{Refimprovesect|date=August 2007}} {{main|Tattva}} The ''pancha mahabhuta,'' or "five great elements", of [[Hinduism]] are ''[[khsiti]]'' or ''[[bhumi (earth)|bhumi]]'' ([[earth (classical element)|earth]]), ''[[Ap (water)|ap]]'' or ''jala'' ([[water (classical element)|water]]), ''[[agni]]'' or ''[[tejas]]'' ([[fire (classical element)|fire]]), ''[[marut]]'' or ''pavan'' ([[air (classical element)|air]] or [[wind]]), and ''[[byom]]'' or ''[[akasha]]'' ([[Aether (classical element)|aether]]). Hindus believe that God used akasha to create the other four traditional elements, and that the knowledge of all human experience is imprinted in the [[akashic records]]. ===Classical elements in early Buddhism=== {{Refimprovesect|date=September 2007}}{{main|Mahābhūta}} In the [[Pali literature]], the ''[[mahabhuta]]'' ("great elements") or ''catudhatu'' ("four elements") are earth, water, fire and air. In early Buddhism, the four elements are a basis for understanding suffering and for liberating oneself from suffering. The [[Gautama Buddha|Buddha]]'s teaching regarding the four elements is to be understood as the base of all observation of real sensations rather than as a philosophy. The four properties are cohesion (water), solidity or inertia (earth), expansion or vibration (air) and heat or calorific content (fire). He taught that all mind and matter is ultimately composed of eight types of '[[kalapas]]' of which the four elements are primary and a secondary group of four are color, smell, taste, and nutriment which are derivative from the four primaries. The Buddha's teaching of the four elements does predate Greek teaching of the same four elements.{{Fact|date=January 2008}} This is possibly explained by the fact that he sent out 60 [[arahant]]s to the known world to spread his teaching, however it differs in the fact that the Buddha taught that the 4 elements are false and that form is in fact made up of much smaller particles which are constantly changing.{{Fact|date=January 2008}} [[Thanissaro Bhikkhu]] (1997) renders an extract of [[Shakyamuni Buddha]]'s (''Kayagata-sati Sutta'' [[Majjhima Nikaya|MN]] 119) from Pali into English thus: <blockquote> "Furthermore, the monk contemplates this very body -- however it stands, however it is disposed -- in terms of properties: `In this body there is the earth property, the liquid property, the fire property, & the wind property.' Just as a skilled butcher or his apprentice, having killed a cow, would sit at a crossroads cutting it up into pieces, the monk contemplates this very body -- however it stands, however it is disposed -- in terms of properties: `In this body there is the earth property, the liquid property, the fire property, & the wind property.'<ref>(''Kayagata-sati Sutta'' [[Majjhima Nikaya|MN]] 119) Source: [http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.119.than.html] (accessed: January 30, 2008)</ref> </blockquote> ====Classical elements in the Seven Chakras==== In the philosophy of the Seven [[Chakras]] there are correspondences to the five elements as shared by both Hinduism and Buddhism as well as two other elements: *Sahasrara (Crown): Thought/Space *Ajña (Third Eye): Light/Dark *Vishuddhi (Throat): Ether/Sound *Anahata (Heart): Air *Manipura (Navel): Fire *Svadhisthana (Sacral): Water *Muladhara (Root): Earth ===Classical elements in Japan=== {{main|Five elements (Japanese philosophy)}} [[Japan]]ese traditions use a set of elements called the {{lang|ja|五大}} (''go dai'', literally "five great"). These five are [[earth (classical element)|earth]], [[water (classical element)|water]], [[fire (classical element)|fire]], [[wind (classical element)|wind]]/air, and [[void (classical element)|void]]. These came from Buddhist beliefs; the classical Chinese elements ({{lang|ja|五行}}, ''go gyô'') are also prominent in Japanese culture, especially to the influential Neo-Confucianists during the [[Edo period]]. *'''Earth''' represented things that were solid. *'''Water''' represented things that were liquid. *'''Fire''' represented things that destroyed. *'''Wind/Air''' represented things that moved. *'''Void''' represented things not of our everyday life. ===Classical elements in Bön=== In [[Bön]] or ancient Tibetan philosophy , the five elemental [[processes]] of: [[earth]], [[water]], [[fire]], [[air]] and [[space]] are the essential stuff of all existent [[phenomena]] or [[skandha|aggregate]]s (ref. [[Skandha]]). The elemental processes form the basis of the [[calendar]], [[astrology]], [[medicine]], [[psychology]] and are the foundation of the [[Spirituality|spiritual]] [[traditions]] of [[shamanism]], [[tantra]] and [[Dzogchen]]. [[Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche]]<ref> Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche ''Healing with Form, Energy, and Light'', p.1, Ithaca, New York: Snow Lion Publications. ISBN 1559391766 2002 </ref> comprehensively states: <blockquote> "...physical properties are assigned to the elements: earth is solidity; water is cohesion; fire is temperature; air is motion; and space is the spatial dimension that accommodates the other four active elements. In addition, the elements are correlated to different emotions, temperaments, directions, colors, tastes, body types, illnesses, thinking styles, and character. From the five elements arise the five senses and the five fields of sensual experience; the five negative emotions and the five wisdoms; and the five extensions of the body. They are the five primary ''pranas'' or vital energies. They are the constituents of every physical, sensual, mental, and spiritual phenomenon." </blockquote> The names of the elements are analogous to categorised experiential sensations of the natural world. The [[name]]s are [[symbol]]ic and key to their inherent qualities and/or modes of action by [[analogy]]. In [[Bön]] the elemental processes are fundamental [[metaphor]]s for working with external, internal and secret energetic forces. All five elemental processes in their essential purity are inherent in the [[mindstream]] and link the [[trikaya]] and are [[aspect]]s of [[primordial]] [[energy]]. As [[Herbert V. Günther]]<ref> Günther, Herbert V. (1996). ''The Teachings of Padmasambhava'', pp. 115-116, Leiden, Netherlands: E. J. Brill. Hardcover 1996 </ref> rather unfathomably states: <blockquote> "Thus, bearing in mind that thought struggles incessantly against the treachery of language and that what we observe and describe is the observer himself [''sic.''], we may nonetheless proceed to investigate the successive phases in our becoming human beings. Throughout these phases, the experience (''das Erlebnis'') of ourselves as an intensity (imaged and felt as a "god", lha) setting up its own spatiality (imaged and felt as a "house" ''khang'') is present in various intensities of illumination that occur within ourselves as a "temple." A corollary of this Erlebnis is its light character manifesting itself in various "frequencies" or colors. This is to say, since we are beings of light we display this light in a multiplicity of nuances."<ref> http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Atrium/8240/resources/guenther.html; accessed: Monday January 15, 2007 </ref> </blockquote> In the above block quote the [[trikaya]] is encoded as: [[dharmakaya]] "god"; [[sambhogakaya]] "temple" and [[nirmanakaya]] "house". ==Classical elements in China== {{main|Wu Xing}} [[Image:FiveElementsCycleBalanceImbalance.jpg|right|300px]] In [[Taoism]] there is a similar system of elements, which includes [[Metal (classical element)|metal]] and [[Wood (classical element)|wood]], but excludes air, which is replaced with ''[[qi]]'', which is a force or energy rather than an element. In Chinese philosophy the universe consists of heaven and earth, heaven being made of ''qi'' and earth being made of the five elements (in the Chinese view, the attributes and properties of the Western and Indian Air element are equivalent to that of Wood, where the element of Ether is often seen as a correspondent to Metal). The five major [[planet]]s are associated with and named after the elements: [[Venus]] is gold, [[Jupiter]] is wood, [[Mercury (planet)|Mercury]] is Water, [[Mars]] is Fire, and [[Saturn]] is Earth. Additionally, the [[Moon]] represents [[Yin and yang|Yin]], and the [[Sun]] represents [[Yin and yang|Yang]]. Yin, Yang, and the five elements are recurring themes in the [[I Ching]], the oldest of Chinese classical texts which describes an ancient system of [[cosmology]] and [[philosophy]]. The five elements also play an important part in [[Chinese astrology]] and the Chinese form of [[geomancy]] known as [[Feng shui]] The doctrine of five phases describes two cycles of balance, a generating or creation (生, shēng) cycle and an overcoming or destruction (克/剋, kè) cycle of interactions between the phases. ''Generating'' * Wood feeds fire; * Fire creates earth (ash); * Earth bears metal; * Metal collects water; * Water nourishes wood. ''Overcoming'' * Wood parts earth; * Earth absorbs water; * Water quenches fire; * Fire melts metal; * Metal chops wood. There are also two cycles of imbalance, an overacting cycle (cheng) and an insulting cycle (wu). ==Elements in Medieval alchemy== The elemental system used in medieval [[alchemy]] was developed by the [[Alchemy and chemistry in Islam|Arabian alchemist]], [[Geber|Jabir ibn Hayyan]] (Geber). His original system consisted of seven elements, which included the five classical elements found in the ancient Greek and Indian traditions (aether, air, earth, fire and water), in addition to two [[chemical element]]s representing the [[metal]]s: [[Sulfur|sulphur]], ‘the stone which burns’, which characterized the principle of combustibility, and [[Mercury (element)|mercury]], which contained the idealized principle of metallic properties. Shortly thereafter, this evolved into eight elements, with the Arabic concept of the three metallic principles: sulphur giving flammability or combustion, mercury giving volatility and stability, and [[Salt (chemistry)|salt]] giving solidity.<ref name="r8">Strathern, Paul. (2000). Mendeleyev’s Dream – the Quest for the Elements. New York: Berkley Books.</ref> This theory became popular among European alchemists after the [[Latin translations of the 12th century]], and was adopted in 1524 by the Swiss alchemist [[Paracelsus]], who reasoned that Aristotle’s four element theory appeared in bodies as Geber’s three principles. Paracelsus saw these principles as fundamental, and justified them by recourse to the description of how wood burns in fire. Mercury included the cohesive principle, so that when it left in smoke the wood fell apart. Smoke represented the volatility (the mercury principle), the heat-giving flames represented flammability (sulphur), and the remnant ash represented solidity (salt).<ref name="r8"/> ==Modern Western approaches== The five classical elements are used to the present day by esoteric movements such as neo-paganism, astrology and tarot. ===Classical elements in sound and music=== [[Image:Musical instrument classification by physics-based organology.png|thumb|Physics-based musical instrument classification is based on the state of matter (classical element) in which the instrument produces the initial sound]] [[Musical instrument classification#Physics-based classification scheme|Physical organology]] is a musical instrument classification scheme in which the top-level taxon is the state-of-matter in which sound is initially produced.<ref name=physiphones>Natural Interfaces for Musical Expression: Physiphones and a physics-based organology, in Proceedings of the 2007 Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME07), Pages 118-123, New York, NY, USA</ref><ref>Robert Steadman.Lifelines: AQA GCSE Music (Rhinegold Publishing, ISBN 1-90617-806-2)</ref><ref>Chris Duffill & Rob Steadman.Lifelines: Edexcel AS Music Technology (Rhinegold Publishing, ISBN 1-90617-804-6)</ref><ref>Chris Duffill & Rob Steadman.Lifelines: Edexcel A2 Music Technology (Rhinegold Publishing, ISBN 1-90617-805-4)</ref> Quintessence/idea is used to describe instruments that make sound from non-matter, i.e. electrically (analog or digital), algorithmically, computationally, or in cyberspace. An acoustic [[transducer]] converts between sound that occurs in one of the four elements, and the fifth element, e.g. a microphone converts sound in Air to sound in Idea (informatics). A hydrophone converts sound in Water to sound in Idea/informatics, etc.. These four classes of transducer are as follows: *[[geophone]]s convert sound in Earth to sound in Idea, or vice-versa; *[[hydrophone]]s convert sound in Water to sound in Idea or vice-versa; *[[microphone]]s convert sound in Air to sound in Idea, whereas [[loudspeaker]]s convert sound in Idea to sound in Air; *[[ionophone]]s convert sound in Fire (Plasma) to sound in Idea or vice-versa. In 1987 [[composer]] [[Robert Steadman]] wrote a chamber [[symphony]] each [[Movement (music)|movement]] of which musically depicts the characteristics of the [[ancient Greek]] elements: fire, water, wind and earth. ===Classical elements in popular culture=== {{main|Classical elements in popular culture}} The classical elements are sometimes used together thematically in modern [[fantasy]], [[literature]], [[Film|movies]], [[television show]]s, and [[comic book]]s. == See also == *[[Elemental]] *[[Phlogiston theory]] *[[Table of correspondences]] ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== {{Commonscat|Four elements}} *[http://www.friesian.com/elements.htm Different versions of the classical elements] *[http://www.dstaiji.com/thirteen.html Void Element in Chinese Yoga] *[http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/khin/wheel231.html Section on 4 elements in Buddhism] *[http://www.gemwrap.com/chakraelements.html 7 elements correspondence to the Hindu/Bhuddhist Chakras] & [http://www.sacredcenters.com/chakras.html] [[Category:Classical elements| ]] [[Category:Numerology]] [[Category:Esoteric cosmology]] [[Category:Technical factors of astrology]] [[Category:History of astrology]] [[ca:Elements clàssics]] [[de:Vier-Elemente-Lehre]] [[es:Elementos de la antigüedad]] [[eo:Klasikaj elementoj]] [[fr:Quatre éléments]] [[gd:Ceithir dùil phrìomh-shamhlach]] [[io:Klasika elementi]] [[id:Elemen klasik]] [[it:Elemento (filosofia)]] [[he:ארבעת היסודות]] [[nl:Element (oudheid)]] [[ja:四大元素]] [[no:Elementene]] [[pl:Żywioły]] [[pt:Quatro elementos]] [[ro:Element clasic]] [[ru:Стихия (алхимия)]] [[simple:Classical element]] [[sh:Osnovni elementi]] [[fi:Klassiset alkuaineet]] [[sv:Klassiska element]] [[th:ธาตุหลักทั้ง 4]] [[ur:عناصر (طب)]] [[zh:四元素说]]