Elemental Philosophy: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water as Environmental Ideas

Explores the ancient and perennial notion of the four elements as environmental ideas.

Bachelard called them "the hormones of the imagination." Hegel observed that, "through the four elements we have the elevation of sensuous ideas into thought." Earth, air, fire, and water are explored as both philosophical ideas and environmental issues associated with their classical and perennial conceptions. David Macauley embarks upon a wide-ranging discussion of their initial appearance in ancient Gre...