On Some Themes in Parmenides

Abstract

Parmenides has been widely regarded as someone whose main assertions are outrageously false, since he seems to have denied change, motion and diversity. In this note I will show that, while there is some justice in the received view, nonetheless there are important insights to be gained from taking his position seriously. Along the way, I will register agreement or disagreement, where appropriate, with the papers by Scott Mann and Peter Woolcock in this volume. My final position is more in agreement with Mann than Woolcock, though I have disagreements with both.