In the master’s thesis, the author deals with the pre-Socratic notion physis vis-à-vis the Hebrew biblical tradition with special emphasis on ethical order. In the first part, an etymological and semantic analysis of the word and term physis is presented. The concept of physis is considered in three aspects, first as origin, then as development, and further as the arrangement of the cosmos itself. As the pre-Socratic philosophy was marked by Greek mythology, the author presents Theogony and Works and Days. He presents the basic dynamics of the concept through a systematic treatment of the fundamental pre-Socratic philosophers. It deals with the concept of physis as understood by Anaximander, Xenophanes, Heraclitus; Parmenides, Empedocles, Pythagoreans, Anaxagoras, and atomists. In presenting the concept of physis, the author follows the basic premises of Gerard Naddaf.
This is followed by a search for the dynamics of the pre-Socratic concept of physis within the Hebrew biblical tradition. Despite the concept being inherent to the Greek world, the author seeks an analogy. The monotheistic and personal God of the Hebrew biblical tradition is presented as the origin of all that is. This is followed by a discussion of the priestly and Yahwist creation myth within the Book of Genesis. Hebrew cosmography presents the arrangement of the cosmos as presented by the Hebrew biblical tradition.
Throughout the thesis, the author deals with the ethical order of the pre-Socratic concept of physis, comparing it with the ethical order of creation myths within the Hebrew biblical tradition. As both ethical orders are based on the cosmic order, it is possible to find their mutual parallels. In the continuation, the author argues that the cosmic order of the Hebrew biblical tradition is characterized by personalism and monotheism, leading to a teleological cosmic order and, consequently, a teleological ethical order. This is also the fundamental difference from the pre-Socratic concept of physis.
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