Trying to process the fact tonight (because of this news item) that the sun is not made of fire.. but of hydrogen and helium undergoing nuclear fusion, thus producing light and heat
also, that I do not know what fire is (fire). ngrams: earth,air,fire,water
Oxidation state… “The term oxidation was first used by Antoine Lavoisier to signify reaction of a substance with oxygen. Much later, it was realized that the substance, upon being oxidized, loses electrons, and the meaning was extended to include other reactions in which electrons are lost, regardless of whether oxygen was involved.”
here is heraclitus on the sun:
3. The sun is the width of a human foot.
6. The sun is new every day.
94. The sun will not overstep his measures; if he does, the Erinyes, the handmaids of Justice, will find him out.
99. If there were no sun it would be night, for all the other stars could do.
Some of his more interesting mentions of fire:
30. This world, which is the same for all, no one of gods or men has made; but it was ever, is now, and ever shall be an ever-living Fire, with measures of it kindling, and measures going out.
31. The transformations of Fire are, first of all, sea; and half of the sea is earth, half whirlwind. . .
76. Fire lives the death of air, and air lives the death of fire; water lives the death of earth, earth that of water.
90. All things are an exchange for Fire, and Fire for all things, even as wares for gold and gold for wares.
(Reminded of the Winesburg, Ohio character who thought the world was on fire — on fire with decay.)
.i`` * ^ / . . . . . ` `~ 