The Political Philosophy of Heraclitus

The pre-Socratic philosopher Heraclitus is reported to have published a book entitled On Nature which he divided into three parts: universe, theology, and politics. This paper aims to reconstruct Heraclitus’ lost political philosophy by analyzing the fragments remaining from his work in a political context. First it provides an outline of key concepts in Heraclitean philosophy and expands on Martha Nussbaum’s argument that linguistic philosophy is key to attaining political merit in a Heraclitean society. Then, the debate regarding Heraclitus’ preference for either an aristocratic or democratic government is addressed. An examination of historical context, specifically Heraclitus’ disappointment in his fellow Ephesians, which gained him the nickname “the weeping philosopher,” and a study of his philosophy will lead to the conclusion that he would have favored aristocracy, only if political positions were assigned based on merit and if the politicians held the favor of the populace, which could have been attained through the construction of a social contract.