presocratics summary

8/12/2019 Presocratics Summary

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/presocratics-summary 1/7

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BY WAY OF POSTSCRIPT

Before the Presocratics:Corroborating the world-wide antecedents of Western philosophy, while

pinpointing the rupture which Empedocles and his contemporariesconstituted

van Binsbergen, Wim M.J., 2012, Before the Presocratics: Cyclicity, transformation, and element cosmology:

The case of transcontinental pre- or protohistoric cosmological substrates linking Africa, Eurasia and North

America, special issue, !E"T: An African #ournal of Philosophy$%e&ue Africaine de Philosophie, Vol.

XXIII-XXIV, No. 1-2, 2009-2010, pp. 1-9! "e##ec$ive %a$e o# publica$ion &pril 201', boo( version) *aar-

lem) +i(an%a, I+BN &N 9/!-90-/!!2-1-/ 9! pp, ! #igures, 1/ $ables, bibliograp, in%e3 o# au$ors

ci$e%, e3plana$or in%e3 o# proper names o$er $an au$ors ci$e%, 1 3 20 cm, re$ail price 456 7!0, or%er

#rom $$p)888.ues$-:ournal.ne$bac(;copies.$m

Hegemony and counter-hegemony

In arl Mo%ern $imes, Wes$ern urope<s mili$ar, economic an% poli$ical po8er began e##ec$ivel $o e3$en% $o man par$s o# $e 8orl%. =is culmina$e% in $e 19

$ c.

> in $e &ge o# >olonialism. =e in$ellec$ual si%e o# $is process 8as $e vie8 $a$

uropean "an% soon, general Nor$ &$lan$ic'

• cul$ure, ar$ an% science "$en mainl vie8e% as $e legac o# &ncien$

?reece',

• religion "mainl >ris$iani$',

• languages "mainl @&ran<, i.e. In%o-uropean'

• an% even bo%il carac$eris$ics "@>aucasian<',

8ere consi%ere% incomparabl superior $o $ose in $e res$ o# $e 8orl%, an% 8i$ou$

is$orical %eb$s $o o$er con$inen$s. =o%a, $is hegemonic perspec$ive is obsole$e. In

suc #iel%s as arcaeolog, ancien$ is$or, cul$ural is$or, an$ropolog, urocen$ric

vie8s ave gra%uall been %iscar%e% in $e course o# $e 20$ cen$ur > A un%er $e

impac$ o# $e %ecolonia$ion o# &sia an% &#rica $e e3plosion o# $ranscon$inen$al$ravelling an% migra$ion $e emergence 8orl%8i%e o# $e mul$icul$ural socie$ 8i$

an eclec$icall globaliing cul$ure coun$er-egemonic in$ellec$ual movemen$s suc as

E' (riente )u' "8ic recognie% urope<s in%eb$e%ness $o $e &ncien$ Near as$',

Cos$mo%ernism, &#rocen$rici$ "inclu%ing $e Black Athena $esis', Cos$colonial

=eor an% i$s &#rican varian$ as represen$e% b e.g. Valen$in Mu%imbe, an% In$ercul-

$ural Cilosop an%, #inall, in $e las$ #e8 %eca%es, $e %ecline o# Wes$ern egem-

on in $e mili$ar, economic, scien$i#ic, ar$is$ic, an% religious #iel%s.

*o8ever, in $e specialis$ #iel% o# $e is$or o# pilosop $e cons$ruc$ion o#

Wes$ern uniueness as largel persis$e% unaba$e%. *ere $e emergence o# piloso-

p an% science as con$inue% $o be a$$ribu$e% $o $e Presocratic philosophers in $e

as$ern an% Wes$ern #ringes o# $e &ncien$ ?ree( 8orl% "Ionia i*e* +ou$-8es$ern

=ur(e, an% ?raecia Magna i*e* +ou$ I$al' A %espi$e occasional, an% generall%ismisse%, callenges $o $e con$rar b $e above coun$er-egemonic movemen$s.

The author and his quest for intercultural counter-hegemonyWim van Binsbergen "19D/' s$ar$e% ou$ as an an$ropologis$ o# Nor$ &#rican popular

Islam, an% o# ecs$a$ic religion an% ealing in +ou$ >en$ral &#rica. +everal #ac$ors)

• is o8n e3$ensive e$nois$orical an% e$nograpic #iel%8or(, an% a$$en%ing

language acuisi$ion, in several par$s o# &#rica

• is %eca%es o# supervising o$ers in &#ricanis$ researc mainl in $e con$e3$

o# $e #amous &#rican +$u%ies >en$re, Eei%en, $e Ne$erlan%s

• an% "in $e las$ $en ears' is sus$aine% inves$iga$ions o# 8orl% m$olog

an% e3$ensive $ravelling in +ou$, +ou$ as$ an% as$ &sia an% in 6ceania,

ma%e im a8are o# $e %eep-sea$e% cul$ural con$inui$ies 8i$in &#rica, an% be$8een

&#rica an% o$er con$inen$s. =ese apparen$ con$inui$ies ave subseuen$l beencorrobora$e% b e3$ensive librar researc, $ravelling an% inci%en$al #iel% researc in&sia, Nor$ &merica an% Nor$ &merica, an% an in$erna$ional con#erence "Eei%en

=e au$or "Caraangan 4niversi$,Ban%ung, In%onesia, 200/'

Valen$in Mu%imbe

$e au$or "sua$$ing, le#$' in $e #inals$ages o# is ini$ia$ion $o %iviner-ealer,

Bo$s8ana, 1991

$e au$or "#oregroun%, rig$' %uring#iel%8or( in Wes$ Java, In%onesia, 200/



2

2012' no8 in $e press. +elec$ivel giving up is pro#essional anal$ical %is$ance in

#iel%8or( enable% im $o en$er &#rican li#e as a prac$icing %iviner-ealer in Bo$-

s8ana, an% as a sub-cie# in Fambia. =ese roles ave cons$i$u$e% e3ercises in

coun$er-egemon. Wen an$ropologis$s an% o$er Wes$erners re:ec$ &#rican

cosmologies an% epis$emologies as a priori invali%, are $e no$ overloo(ing $e

essen$ial con$inui$ be$8een &#rican an% Wes$ern mo%es o# $oug$, an% %o $e no$

un%eres$ima$e $e 8orl%-crea$ing, $ru$-pro%ucing po$en$ial o# non-Wes$ern cosmolo-giesG Is i$ a$ all possible $o pro%uce vali% in$ercul$ural (no8le%ge A $e proclaime%

aim o# an$ropologG 6r is peraps $e ver no$ion o# a plurali$ o# cul$ures, a

egemonic illusionG *o8 soul% 8e re8ri$e &#rican is$or, an% global cul$ural

is$or, 8en $ring $o coun$erac$ $e ms$i#ing e##ec$s o# an egemonic Wes$ern

perspec$iveG

From philosophical conceptual analysis to empirical historical research*aving es$ablise% imsel# as a specialis$ in $e is$or, e$nograp an% compara$ive

s$u% o# &#rican religion, aroun% 19!0, $ese are $e ues$ions $a$ ave increasingl

%omina$e% Wim van Binsbergen<s researc an% 8ri$ing. &#$er occuping a seuence

o# pro#essorial cairs in an$ropolog "inclu%ing Eei%en, Mances$er, an% &ms$er-%am', in combina$ion 8i$ is senior appoin$men$ a$ $e Eei%en &#rican +$u%ies

>en$re, in 199H e 8as o##ere% $e cair o# in$ercul$ural pilosop, rasmus 4niver-

si$ 5o$$er%am, 8ic prove% a s$imula$ing con$e3$ $o pursue $ese ues$ions #rom a

%i##eren$ angle. Mean8ile e a% ini$ia$e%, 8i$ Ce$er ?esciere, $e e3$ensive

researc programme @?lobalia$ion an% $e cons$ruc$ion o# communal i%en$i$ies<

"199D-1999', in 8ic %oens o# researcers par$icipa$e% bo$ na$ionall an% in$erna-$ionall. In is emerging pilosop o# in$ercul$urali$, an% grea$l inspire% b is

coun$er-egemonic roles in $e #iel%, $e premise o# $e #un%amen$al uni$ o# uman-

(in% came $o occup a cen$ral place, bu$ e a% $o a%mi$ $a$ $e empirical un%erpin-

ning o# $a$ premise le#$ a lo$ $o be %esire%. &roun% 190, $e rise o# classic,

#iel%8or(-base% s$ruc$ural-#unc$ionalis$ an$ropolog a% mean$ $e en% o# $e prior

para%igm o# nave %i##usionism. &#$er 1990, globalisa$ion s$u%ies mean$ rene8e% an%no8 more sopis$ica$e% a$$en$ion #or cul$ural $ransmission $roug space an% $ime,

bu$ b $en $e main eri$age o# classic an$ropolog consis$e% in $e para%igm o# a

$o$all #ragmen$e% pa$c8or( o# cul$ures, 8ose irre%ucible separa$e i%en$i$ a% $o

be cerise% #or poli$ical correc$ness, an% 8ose is$orical connec$ions $us remaine%

ou$ o# scope. Wim van Binsbergen<s in$ercul$ural-pilosopical #ocus %rove im

increasingl, no$ so muc $o concep$ual $eorising, bu$ $o empirical is$orical e3plora-

$ion in 8i%er an% 8i%er s$re$ces o# space an% $ime. ver since is pre-%oc$ora$e

researc on Nor$ &#rican popular Islam "1!00-19H!', an% is %oc$ora$e on %eligious

change in +ambia "100-19HD bo$ cum laude', is main researc passion a% been

$o crea$e is$or 8ere previousl $ere a% been none A li(e in regar% o# $e e##ec-

$ivel sub-li$era$e segmen$ar socie$ o# $e eas$ernmos$ &$las Moun$ains, or in

regar% o# illi$era$e, pre-colonial +ou$ >en$ral &#rica. &n% ever since is #irs$ Nor$

&#rican an% Fambian researces, personal #iel% observa$ions 8oul% provi%e "in

combina$ion 8i$ compara$ive %is$ribu$ional analses' $e ma:or inspira$ion an%

subs$an$ia$ion #or is is$orical po$eses A $is is $e reason 8 Before the

Presocratics, al$oug reacing #ar beon% #iel%8or( e$nograp an% e$nois$or,

is %e%ica$e% $o $e memor o# ou8e Jongmans "1922-2011', $e au$or<s $eacer o#

#iel% me$o%s.

Challenges of method and interdisciplinary data+ee(ing $o empiricall un%erpin $e premise o# $e #un%amen$al uni$ o# uman(in%,

mean$ ma:or me$o%ological callenges, an% reuire% access $o a muc 8i%er #iel% o#

%a$a an% specialis$ researc $an abi$uall available $o an &#ricanis$ an$ropologis$.

& %ecisive par$ o# $a$ $ra:ec$or 8as alrea% being covere% 8en, #rom 1990 on8ar%,Wim van Binsbergen engage% in $e compara$ive $ranscon$inen$al s$u% o# %ivina$or

"oracular, soo$-saing' ss$ems, see(ing $o illumina$e $e s$ri(ing similari$ies $a$

became mani#es$ be$8een $e %ivina$ion ss$em e a% learne% as a %iviner in Bo$-

s8ana, on $e one an%, an% on $e o$er an% o$er +ou$ern &#rican %ivina$ion

ss$ems $e fa an% "i'teen Cories ss$ems o# Wes$ &#rica an% $e Ne8 Worl%

"ikidy o# Ma%agascar an% $e >omoro Islan%s $e cilm al-raml "@+an% +cience<'%ivina$ion ss$em recor%e% #or +ou$ern Ira c. 1000 > an% subseuen$l sprea% all

N(oa sub-cie#s inclu%ing $e au$orsea$e% on $e groun% be#ore $e $rone o#

King Mu$on%o, Fambia, 2011

ou8e Jongmans



over $e Islamic 8orl% o# +ou$ an% +ou$-Wes$ &sia as 8ell as Nor$ as$ an% as$

&#rica "8i$ rami#ica$ions in$o me%ieval an% 5enaissance uropean specialis$ magic

an% even in$o arl-Mo%ern peasan$ prac$ices' an% beon% $a$ even, pulingl

similar in no$a$ional ss$em an% %ivina$or smbolism, $e >inese 8is%om ss$em o#

Ching , 8i$ i$s enormous impac$ on as$ &sian cul$ural is$or. +ince Varro an% +$

Isi%ore, suc ss$ems ave been (no8n un%er $e ea%ing o# geomancy, i.e. @%ivina-

$ion b ear$< "an% no$ b eaven, as in as$rolog', ear$ or san% plaing a role insome o# $e manipula$ions b 8ic ran%om numbers are genera$e% in or%er $o

i%en$i# $e suppose%l superna$urall cosen en$ries in $e %iviner<s oral or 8ri$$en

in$erpre$a$ive ca$alogue. +pen%ing a ear 8i$ $e Ne$erlan%s Ins$i$u$e #or &%vance%

+$u%<s 5esearc ?roup on 5eligion an% Magic in $e &ncien$ Near as$ "199D-

199', broug$ 8i$in Wim van Binsbergen<s reac $e specialis$s< (no8le%ge, vas$

librar resources an% inspira$ion 8i$ 8ic e coul% la a soli% in$er%isciplinar

#oun%a$ion #or is unboun%e% researc ambi$ions. Lur$er ma:or s$eps 8i%ene% an%

%eepene% $is #oun%a$ion. *e :oine% $e Black Athena %eba$e $a$ a% been ini$ia$e% in

19!/ b $e +inologis$ an% in$ellec$ual is$orian Mar$in Bernal "8i$ou$ $urning a

blin% ee $o $e la$$er<s sor$comings, van Binsbergen largel %e#en%e% Bernal agains$

implici$l egemonic cri$icism'. &lso Wim van Binsbergen 8as co-op$e% in$o $e

*arvar%-#ocuse% rise o# a ne8, sopis$ica$e% compara$ive m$olog un%er $e

ini$ia$ive o# +ans(ri$is$ Micael Wi$el #rom c. 2000 on8ar%. &ll $is a##or%e% ourau$or a s$imula$ing con$e3$ in 8ic ma:or me$o%ological callenges coul% begin $o

be me$ 8ere e coul% blen% in 8i$ numerous specialis$s in suc in%ispensable

ancillar %isciplines as arcaeolog, linguis$ics, gene$ics, compara$ive m$olog,

classics, &ncien$ is$or, 6l% =es$amen$ s$u%ies, +ans(ri$ s$u%ies, +inolog an%

8ere e coul% a%op$ a number o# e3is$ing $eore$ical mo%els $a$ 8ere $o gui%e is

subseuen$ speci#ic empirical is$orical researc)

• gene$icis$s< no8 8i%el accep$e% @6u$-o#-&#rica< mo%el

• $e s$a$e-o#-$e-ar$ @Bac(-in$o-&#rica< mo%el, covering more recen$ move-men$ #rom &sia in$o &#rica #rom c. 1 (a BC on

• +$aros$in an% Lleming<s Borean po$esis i%en$i#ing, in nearl all ma:or

linguis$ic groups "macrophyla' $o%a, $races o# a recons$ruc$e% paren$ lan-

guage suppose% $o ave been spo(en in &sia in $e 4pper Calaeoli$ic

• an% +$epen 6ppeneimer<s +un%a po$esis claiming %ecisive in#luenceupon Wes$ern urasia "an%, b implica$ion, &#rica' #rom #loo%ing +ou$ as$&sia #rom $e onse$ o# $e earl *olocene "10 (a BC' on8ar%s.

Illumina$ing $oug $ese e3is$ing mo%els 8ere, Wim van Binsbergen e$ #el$ $e

nee% $o %evelop a%%i$ional mo%els o# is o8n)

• $e &ggrega$ive iacronic Mo%el o# Worl% M$olog

• $e Celasgian *po$esis, claiming ma:or cul$ural innova$ion in Neoli$ic

Wes$ &sia #ollo8e% b e3pansion in$o $e Brone &ge Me%i$erranean an%,

#rom $ere, cul$ural $ransmission in$o $e #our %irec$ions o# $e .cross

model/ ) Nor$ in$o Nor$-8es$ern urasia, Wes$ in$o Wes$ern urope, as$

in$o urasia all $e 8a $o In%ia, >ina, +ou$ as$ &sia an% even 6ceania

an% +ou$ in$o sub-+aaran &#rica

• $e *po$esis claiming a consi%erable Borean componen$ #or $e Niger->ongo macroplum $a$ $o%a covers a large par$ o# sub-+aaran &#rica

an% $a$ inclu%es $e 8i%esprea% Ban$u plum $o 8ic e.g. N(oa an%

Fulu belong

• a 8orl%-8i%e iconograpic an% linguis$ic analsis o# leopar%-s(in smbolism

as revolving on $e concep$ual an% cosmological con$ras$ be$8een granula-

$ion an% smoo$ness

• a mo%el #or $e evolu$ion o# uman logical capabili$ies #rom $e 4pper Ca-

laeoli$ic on, #rom @range seman$ics< via $rans#orma$ional cclici$ $o, #i-

nall, $e s$an%ar% logic o# $e E'cluded Third as %e#ine% b &ris$o$le

• an% a mo%el #or $e speci#ic succession o# $pes o# cosmogonic m$s an%

Lloo% m$s in $e urasian 4pper Calaeoli$ic.=ese mo%els an% $eir empirical an% bibliograpical subs$an$ia$ion are no8 gra%u-

all being publise% "#or %e$ails, see $e bibliograp in $e presen$ boo(', an% $eave mean8ile spa8ne% a number o# s$u%ies on suc speci#ic $opics as $e rela$ion-

sip be$8een &ncien$ ?ree( *epaes$us an% &ncien$ gp$ian C$aḥ a s$a$is$ical

Mar$in Bernal

Micael Wi$el



D

analsis suppor$ing $e @Ban$u as Borean< *po$esis a s$a$is$ical con$en$s analsis

o# Lloo% m$s 8orl%-8i%e as a surprisingl clear 8in%o8 on $e %eepes$ long-range

is$or o# m$olog a massive boo( Ethnicity in 0editerranean Protohistory "8i$

Wou%uien, 2011' an e%i$e% collec$ion Black Athena Comes of Age "2011', e$c.

nto the !editerranean " West #sian $ron%e #ge, and then the transcontinental &ump into cyclicity and transformation

&s long as $e relevan$ language s(ills 8ere mas$ere% or re#rese%, an% $e relevan$librar resources i%en$i#ie% an% peruse%, $e geoman$ic researc<s progress in$o $e

o$er par$s o# &#rica, $e Islamic an% Je8is Mi%%le &ges, Wes$ern urope, even

>ina, prove% rela$ivel e##or$less $oug $ime-consuming. ?iven $e au$or<s

numerous publica$ions on $is $opic $ere is no nee% #or an elabora$e summar ere.

In $e boo(, geomanc in $e #irs$ place serves $o %rive ome $e un%eniable empiri-

cal reali$ o# massive cul$ural con$inui$ies $roug space an% $ime, on a $ranscon$inen-

$al scale, an% pro#oun%l involving &#rica. *o8ever, $e compara$ive %ivina$ion

pro:ec$ s$agna$e% in $e Ea$e-&n$iui$ as$ern Me%i$erranean. espi$e $e long-

s$an%ing consensus $a$ &ncien$ ?reece a% signi#ican$l in#orme% $e Islamic an%

Je8is Mi%%le &ges an% 8ell as +ou$ &sia, an% $e more recen$ insig$ "popularise%

b Mar$in Bernal' $a$ &ncien$ ?reece in i$s $urn a% been in#orme% b &ncien$

gp$ "peraps as a cil% o# &#rica' an% Mesopo$amia, no$ing ol%er $an Ban$ine

sources coul% be #oun% in $e 8a o# pro$o-geomanc. 6ne s$ri(ing #ac$ o8evercap$ure% $e a$$en$ion. 1oursomes "no$abl, #our bro(en or unbro(en lines superim-

pose% upon eac o$er ' ma(e up $e s$an%ar% geoman$ic con#igura$ions open #or

%ivina$or in$erpre$a$ion. No8, parallel $o $is Wim van Binsbergen no$e% $e abun-

%ance an% cen$ral signi#icance o# #oursomes in $e as$ern Me%i$erranean Iron &ge

an% Brone &ge ma$erial A H$-c. B> mpe%ocles< #our-elemen$ %oc$rine "Lire, &ir,

ar$ an% Wa$er, personi#ie% in $e %ei$ies Feus, *era, &i%oneus an% Nes$is' as $e

allege% origin o# mo%ern na$ural science C$agoras< tetractys buil$ up ou$ o# lines o#

#our, $ree, $ree an% one %o$s $e &ncien$ Israeli$e tetragrammaton, A 8i$ a s$ri(ing

parallel in $e eig$ >inese $rigrams lea%ing $o $e HD con#igura$ions o# $e >inese

Ching oracle Was $ere some un%erling, pre- or pro$ois$orical $ranscon$inen$al

ss$em ereG

C$agoras< tetractys "see belo8, >ap$er ' an% $e &ncien$ Israeli$e tetragrammaton OPOQ are so8n

as earl e3pressions o# a #our-elemen$ ss$em #oresa%o8ing pro$o-geomancies in Me%i$erranean Ea$e&n$iui$

1ig* 2*34* Comparing geomantic notational systems orldide "p. H!'

=ree %escrip$ive cases #rom $ree con$inen$s elpe% $o ar$icula$e $is unc, an%

began $o reveal $e con$ours o# 8a$, at least initially, appeare% $o be an almos$8orl%8i%e cosmolog or 8orl%vie8 inging on $e i%ea o# @elemen$<, i*e* a an%#ul o#

basic ca$egories in$o 8ic reali$ 8as $oug$ $o be %ivi%e%.

"1' >arac$eris$ic o# $e as$ &sian cosmological ss$em is $e no$ion o# cclical

$rans#orma$ion, an% 8ile 8ell %ocumen$e% #or =aoism an% $rougou$ >i-

nese cul$ural is$or, i$ 8as par$icularl %ra8n 8i$in $e orbi$ o# Wim vanBinsbergen<s researc 8en in 2009 e 8as $o give a paper on Japanese m-

$olog a$ $e Ko(uga(uin +in$o 4niversi$ in =o(o, Japan. *ere $e #o-

$e au$or engage% in %eba$e 8i$gp$ologis$s an% pilosopers, 4niversi$R>a$oliue %e l<&#riue >en$rale, Saoun%e,

>ameroon, 200



cus 8as on Ianami, $e primal Japanese go%%ess as %escribe% in Japan<s 5o-

6iki classic "earl 9$ c. >'. Lrom er 8omb, Ianami pro%uce% $e 8ole

8orl% 8i$ou$ %i##icul$, bu$ 8en i$ came $o giving bir$ $o Kagu$suci,

@Lire<, er repro%uc$ive organs 8ere #a$all burne% an% se %ie%. &gains$ an

elabora$e =aois$ #ive-elemen$ cosmological bac(groun% " 5o6iki 8as s$ill

8ri$$en in classical >inese' Ianami<s %ea$ ma be in$erpre$e% as :us$ a

narra$ive elabora$ion o# $e logic o# $e $rans#orma$ive ccle o# elemen$s)element A destroys $ kills B under the catalytic influence of C

8ic as as i$s coun$erpar$)

element A produces $ furthers 7 under the catalytic influence of E,

an% so on #or all #ive elemen$s ar$, Wa$er, Lire, Woo% an% Me$al.

1ig* 4*2* The Taoist fi&e-element transformation cycle according to Needham

ith )ing* "p. 121'

"2' =e secon% %escrip$ive case comes #rom Fambia, +ou$ >en$ral &#rica,

8ere Wim van Binsbergen as been a$ ome since 19/2. =e N(oa people

possess an elabora$e clan ss$em $a$ o8ever is so con$ra%ic$or an% incon-sis$en$, $a$ one is incline% $o see i$s presen$-%a #ea$ures as remnan$s, no

longer un%ers$oo% b con$emporar local ac$ors, o# 8a$ 8as once consis$en$

an% ss$emic. 6ver a %oen ca$egories "$o$emic animals suc as lepan$,

Buar%, an% ?oa$, an% #ur$er Woo%, +mo(e, Bell, e$c.' #ea$ure in $is ss-

$em in %aling arras o# combina$ion an% %issocia$ion, o# (illing an% pro-

%ucing A an% $us in#orm clan :o(ing, #unerar responsibili$ies, an%

eligibili$ $o $e (ingsip. &#$er ears o# puling $e solu$ion comes 8i$in

reac once 8e consi%er $ese posi$ions as superimpose% $reesomes "o#$en

snonmous', involve% in a cons$an$ ccle o# $rans#orma$ion %is$inguising

si3 elemen$s A 8i$ a seven$, roal elemen$ a%%e% #or $e sa(e o# %nas$ic

is$or.

"' =e #inal euris$ic case %erives #rom Nor$ &merican Lloo% m$s. Wilesuc m$s ma be sai% $o be o# all places an% o# all $imes, as muc as al#

o# our presen$ 8orl%8i%e corpus o# recor%e% Lloo% m$s speci#icall comes

#rom Nor$ &merica, an% in man o# $ese 8e see a $inl-%isguise% pla on

cclical $rans#orma$ions be$8een a an%#ul o# elemen$s A Wa$er "$e Lloo%T'%es$roing Lire bu$ being in i$s $urn coun$ere% b 8imsical o$er #orces, es-

peciall ar$ broug$ up b a m$ical ar$-iver in $e #orm o# a ro%en$.

Whence cyclicity and transformation'>ompara$ive linguis$ic an% gene$ic researc "Borean po$esis an% 6u$-o#-&#rica

an% Bac(-in$o-&#rica po$eses combine%' so8s $a$ onl in $e 4pper Calaeo-

li$ic, a$ leas$ 12,000 ears ago, s$ran%s con$ribu$ing $o $e cul$ures o# as$ &sia,+ou$ >en$ral &#rica, an% Nor$ &merica coul% ave sare% a common geograp, in

&sia. >oul% $is mean $e %iscover o# an 4pper Calaeoli$ic, substrate elemen$cosmolog spanning $ree con$inen$sG Is $is 8ere $e #oursomes o# geomanc came

#romG &n% $e #ivesomes o# =aoismG &n% $e eig$somes o# Ching G &n% peraps

Navao san% pain$ing, Nor$ &merica,sugges$ive o# a #our-elemen$ cosmolog

%ra8ing b $e Fulu lig$ning 8iar%Ma%ela, +ou$ &#rica, mi%-20$ cen$ur >,

sugges$ive o# a #our-elemen$ cosmolog



/

s$an%ar% Brone &ge elemen$ cosmolog o# cclical $rans#orma$ion. Bu$ especiall in

$e subseuen$ recep$ion, as ?ree( science an% pilosop 8ere #irml es$ablising

$emselves, an on$olog o# #ragmen$e%, parallel %isuni$ o# Being, o# stable and

immutable elemen$s, eclipse% $is ol%er, more armonious an% eal$ insig$. =is

opene% $e 8a $o8ar%s Man<s no$ :us$ linguis$ic an% re#le3ive, but collecti&ely

institutionalised and scientifically underpinned separa$ion #rom $e 8orl%, in *ellen-

ism, $e #irs$-millennium &rabs an% In%ians, an% $e emergence o# mo%ern science inEa$e Me%iaeval an% arl Mo%ern urope. In $e las$ analsis, $a$ A #rom a #rag-

men$e%, Mo%ern scien$i#ic posi$ion o# en$rence% parallel posi$ions o# i%en$i$ A 8e

nee% $o argue $e #un%amen$al uni$ o# uman(in%, as par$ o# i$s roo$s ere, in $e

Cresocra$ic<s ini$ia$ing on$ologicall es$range% science.

&cross i$s nine cap$ers, Before the Presocratics $es$s Wor(ing *po$esis "1')

"1' @a $rans#orma$ive ccle o# elemen$s "as a$$es$e% in as$ &sia an% >en$ral

&#rica' as cons$i$u$e% a global subs$ra$e since $e 4pper Calaeoli$ic

"over 12,000 ears ago', in#orming 9but not from a Pelasgian source, as

the book/s blurb states by a slip of the pen the original Pelasgian con-

te't is the ;est Asian Neolithic and not the !pper Palaeolithic' ura-

sian, &#rican an% Nor$ &merican cosmologies<.

&n &l$erna$ive Wor(ing *po$esis posi$s "2')"2' @$e $rans#orma$ive ccle o# elemen$s onl %a$es #rom $e Wes$ &sian

Brone &ge< ",000-,000 ears ago', peraps #rom a @@Celasgian<<, pro-

pose%l pro$o-&#rican source, an% 8as subseuen$l $ransmi$$e% $rans-

con$inen$all on $e 8ings o# $e Celasgian @cross mo%el< i$ 8as in $is

8a $a$ i$ en%e% up in as$ &sia

We also e3amine "'

"' @$e possibili$ o# $is ss$em<s occasional $ranscon$inen$al $ransmission

in is$orical $imes<, i*e* in $e las$ #e8 millennia A e.g. $o $e N(oa, an%

par$s o# Nor$ &merica.

Cains$a(ingl, "2' an% "' are empiricall vin%ica$e% in $e boo(. In$erme%ia$e

elemen$ cosmologies lac(ing $e #ull $rans#orma$ive ccle are i%en$i#ie% in sub-

+aaran &#rica an% "as claime% %eca%es ago b $e &#rocen$ris$ is$orian an% psi-

cis$ >ei( &n$a iop' in &ncien$ gp$, up $o $8o millennia be#ore mpe%ocles.=e occurrences, in is$orical $imes, o# $e $rans#orma$ive cclical elemen$ cosmologin as$ &sia, $e Ne8 Worl%, an% +ou$ >en$ral &#rica "$e la$$er mos$ probabl via a

i$er$o unrecognise% demic diffusion #rom as$ &sia A a rela$ivel recen$ even$ in

is$orical $imes' are argue% $o be ul$ima$el %epen%en$ upon $is Wes$ &sian Brone

&ge inven$ion. =is %elibera$el revives, 8i$ s$a$e-o#-$e-ar$ linguis$ic ma$erial,

=errien %e Eacouperie<s no$orious, la$e-19$ c. > claim $o $e e##ec$ $a$ Ching

aile% #rom Wes$ &sia. +ee(ing $o iglig$ $e emergence o# $e $rans#orma$iveccle in $e Wes$ &sian Brone &ge, an% i$s "proclaime%' subseuen$ $ransmission $o

as$ &sia, a pe$ &#rocen$ris$ i%ea "e.g. 5. 5asi%i' is a%op$e%) $e presence "#or 8ic

ne8 arcaeological an% linguis$ic in%ica$ions are a%%uce%', in Wes$ &#rica %uring $e

Neoli$ic an% Brone &ges, o# a rela$ivel pigmen$e%, Celasgian-li(e, Ban$oi%-

spea(ing popula$ion associa$e% 8i$ me$allurg as a science of transformations. =e

original Wor(ing *po$esis "1', mean8ile, canno$ be sus$aine%) muc evi%ence">ap$er H' o# 4pper Calaeoli$ic elemen$ cosmologies is #oun% "#or ins$ance $roug

a linguis$ic rea%ing o# $e #amous @%ea%-man< scene in $e Eascau3 >ave', an% even

in%ica$ions #or pro$o-elemen$s are argue% $o e3is$ among $e ol%es$ m$ologies in $e

Mi%%le Calaeoli$ic, bu$ 8i$ou$ cclici$, $rans#orma$ion, an% ca$alsis.

Conclusion>onsi%ering $e immense s(ills, resources an% collec$ive e##or$s $a$ a sa$is#ac$or

$rea$men$ o# $e cen$ral ues$ions ould ave reuire%, $ere can be no %oub$ as $o

Before the Presocratics/ immense sor$comings. &n% consi%ering $e geopoli$icall

rein#orce% para%igm con#ron$e% in $is boo( $e au$or as no illusions abou$ $e

%ismissive recep$ion a8ai$ing is boo( in man scolarl circles) "as appene% $oMar$in Bernal' inevi$able $rans%isciplinar errors o# #ac$ an% presen$a$ion 8ill serve

as pre$e3$s for an a priori re6ection on paradigmatic grounds. Se$ $e $rain o# innova-$ive an% libera$ing re$in(ing $e argumen$ as s$ar$e% rolling, canno$ be s$oppe%.

=e #amous @%ea%-man< scene, Eascau3,Lrance, 4pper Calaeoli$ic

longa$e% labia minora %epic$e% a$ ?Ube(li=epe. Cre-Co$$er Neoli$ic B. &na$olia"!!00-!000 B>', sugges$ive o# pro$o-&#rican presence A :us$ li(e $e Biblical

8a$er name #abbok , i*e. @#or%able s$ream<in pro$o-Ban$u

presocratics summary

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