Blesk a hrom v mílétském myšlení

Abstract

The question about the origin of lightning and thunder is a scientific one, during the rise of science as well as nowadays. The beginning of science is usually connected with Ionian philosophy, namely with Anaximander of Miletus. It was his writing where the first description of these atmospheric phenomena appeared. The doxography maintains, that according to him lightning and thunder originate, when wind is enclosed in a cloud and bursts out. Then the tearing of the cloud produces the thunder and the dilatation causes the flash of lightning. There are however two predominant explications of this description of the origin of lightning. According to the first one, the lightning is only epiphenomenon of the cleaving the clouds or of the rupture in the clouds, which disclose the fire inside. But we can understand the wind which bursts out like a fire as well, because Anaximander described the heavenly bodies as rings of fire enclosed by the air. If Anaximander made a close parallel between the lightning and the fire of the heavenly bodies, like in expression πρηστῆρος αὐλός, the lightning can be comprehended in the terms of a fiery wind.