Editing Water (section)

===Philosophy===
[[File:Icosahedron-spinoza.jpg|alt=Icosahedron as a part of Spinoza monument in Amsterdam.|thumb|[[Icosahedron]] as a part of [[Baruch Spinoza|Spinoza]] monument in [[Amsterdam]]]]
The Ancient Greek philosopher [[Empedocles]] saw [[Water (classical element)|water]] as one of the four [[classical elements]] (along with fire, earth, and [[Air (classical element)|air]]), and regarded it as an [[ylem]], or basic substance of the universe. [[Thales]], whom Aristotle portrayed as an astronomer and an engineer, theorized that the earth, which is denser than water, emerged from the water. Thales, a [[monist]], believed further that all things are made from water. [[Plato]] believed that the shape of water is an [[icosahedron]] – flowing easily compared to the cube-shaped earth.<ref>Lindberg, D. (2008). ''The beginnings of western science: The European scientific tradition in a philosophical, religious, and institutional context, prehistory to A.D. 1450'' (2nd ed.). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.</ref>

The theory of the [[Humorism|four bodily humors]] associated water with [[phlegm]], as being cold and moist. The [[Water (classical element)|classical element of water]] was also one of the [[Five elements (Chinese philosophy)|five elements]] in traditional [[Chinese philosophy]] (along with [[earth (classical element)|earth]], [[fire (classical element)|fire]], [[wood (classical element)|wood]], and [[metal (classical element)|metal]]).

Some traditional and popular [[Asian philosophy|Asian philosophical systems]] take water as a role-model. [[James Legge]]'s 1891 translation of the ''[[Dao De Jing]]'' states, "The highest excellence is like (that of) water. The excellence of water appears in its benefiting all things, and in its occupying, without striving (to the contrary), the low place which all men dislike. Hence (its way) is near to (that of) the [[Tao]]" and "There is nothing in the world more soft and weak than water, and yet for attacking things that are firm and strong there is nothing that can take precedence of it—for there is nothing (so effectual) for which it can be changed."<ref>{{cite book |url= http://www.sacred-texts.com/tao/taote.htm |via=Internet Sacred Text Archive Home |title=Tao Te Ching |access-date=25 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100712103909/http://www.sacred-texts.com/tao/taote.htm |archive-date=12 July 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Guanzi (text)|Guanzi]]'' in the "Shui di" 水地 chapter further elaborates on the symbolism of water, proclaiming that "man is water" and attributing natural qualities of the people of different Chinese regions to the character of local water resources.<ref>[http://ctext.org/guanzi/shui-di "Guanzi : Shui Di"]. Chinese Text Project. {{Webarchive|url= https://archive.today/20141106133901/http://ctext.org/guanzi/shui-di|date=6 November 2014}}. Retrieved on 28 September 2015.</ref>