Anaximander considers reality a variation of the indefinite and limitless unifying element named
apeiron. The laws governing both nature and human society stem from this eternal and indestructible entity that makes the ultimate motive force of the universe (somewhat similar to the modern concept of energy). The Greek material monist is the first to conceive a mechanical model of the cosmos (possibly only one of a series of worlds), to use the principle of sufficient reason and to put forth a theory of evolution.
Modern Reflection
Anaximander’s idea of the apeiron, an indefinite source underlying all things, resembles modern attempts to describe the universe in terms of abstract fields or fundamental symmetries. His view that natural processes follow orderly principles anticipates scientific laws. While his cosmology is speculative, his impulse to explain change without invoking personal gods remains deeply modern. He suggests that freedom emerges within a world governed by impersonal, intelligible structures.
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