Bro. Aldrine G.

Aquino, fmgs
Our Lady of the Angels Seminary College
AB Philosophy

Mr. Henry Robles

Metaphysics
Professor

Personal Reflection on Empedocles

Assignment 2

“There are forces in nature called Love and Hate. The force of Love causes elements to be
attracted to each other and to built up into some particular form or person, and the force of Hate
causes the decomposition of things”1

Empedocles is one of the pre-socratic philosophers that I love. His philosophy about love and
strife are the two forces that shape the universe. Reflecting on his philosophy as a religious
brother Love and Strife are also the two components of my life. Seminary formation is one of the
hardest training that we can experience in life. We experience both aspect of life, I am in the
formation of the Love. The love that drives me to persevere in my formation and my academic
life.

Looking at the theory of Empedocles and applying it on my personal experiences on my

formation and academic life I can say that Love is still dominant. Why? Thou I am experiencing
strife thru many aspects like the obligations in the community and at the same time studying
sometime I feel burdened. But because Love is dominant to me no matter how hard may life be I
still continue to serve. As Empedocles illustrated on his cosmic cycle “Pure domain of Love;
Harmony” life is not present as well on the “Pure domain of Stirfe; Kaos” life is not also present.
We may experience the present of life thru the contention between love and strife.

I agree with Empedocles that I need a contention between love and strife. Imagining our life if it
is only love that we can experience for me it will become boring. In life we need to experience
strife or kaos so that when we experience these things we can unleash Love. Also pure domain of
strife our life will be miserable. If we will put it on a laymans term Love and Strife are the spices
of our life. Life become more exciting if we experience strife we are driven to improved our
selves. In life we need to undergo challenges so that we can have a balance life and we can say
that thru this strifes of life we will know how to love on what we are doing, specially for me that
I am in the mission area serving the poor communities of Isabela.

1
From Sir Robles PPT on Empedocles