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According to ancient and medieval science, 'Aether' (Greek αἰθήρ, ''aithēr''^[1]), also spelled 'ether', is the material that fills the region of the universe above the terrestrial sphere. Aristotle included it as a fifth element distinct from the other four, Air, Earth, Fire, and Water. Aether was also called 'quintessence' (from ''quinta essentia'', "fifth element"). Quintessence was also supposed to be a definition of pure energy. Its force is imagined to be like lightning. This element also has the power of life. Its Platonic solid was the dodecahedron.

Contents

Mythological origins

Fifth element

Legacy

In Pop Culture

References

General

Mythological origins

The word '''aether''' () in Homeric Greek means "pure, fresh air" or "clear sky", imagined in Greek mythology to be the pure essence where the gods lived and which they breathed, analogous to the ''aer'' breathed by mortals (also personified as a deity, Aether, the son of Erebus and Nyx). It corresponds to the concept of ''akasha'' in Hindu philosophy. It is related to "to incinerate"^[2], also intransitive "to burn, to shine" (related is the name ''Aithiopes'' (Ethiopians)), meaning "people with a burnt (black) visage". See also Empyrean.

Fifth element

Plato's Timaeus posits the existence of a fifth element (corresponding to the fifth remaining Platonic solid, the dodecahedron) called quintessence, of which the cosmos itself is made.
Aristotle included ''aether'' in the system of the classical elements of Ionic philosophy as the "fifth element" (the ''quintessence''), on the principle that the four terrestrial elements were subject to change and moved naturally in straight lines while no change had been observed in the celestial regions and the heavenly bodies moved in circles. In Aristotle's system ''aether'' had no qualities (was neither hot, cold, wet, or dry), was incapable of change (with the exception of change of place), and by its nature moved in circles.^[3] Medieval scholastic philosophers granted ''aether'' changes of density, in which the bodies of the planets were considered to be denser than the medium which filled the rest of the universe.^[4] Robert Fludd stated that the aether was of the character that it was "''subtler than light''". Fludd cites the 3rd century view of Plotinus, concerning the aether as penetrative and non-material.^[5]

Legacy

Main articles: Aether theories

The concept of the aether impacted science long after scientists had rejected the ancient theory of the five elements. Prior to fully modern theories of electromagnetism, many scientists applied the term "aether" to the pervasive medium through which they thought light must propagate. The modern understanding of electromagnetism, including Einstein's particle theory of light and various scientific experiments of general relativity, has removed the need for a substance like aether to fill the otherwise empty parts of the universe. Newton's and Maxwell's aether model (the latter being a "''classic static aether''") were both developed from this classical element. However, the null result of the Michelson-Morley experiment in 1887 led to the decline of the aether model. Albert Einstein, in an interpretation he offered for his theory of special relativity, dismissed it, as per Occam's razor; and, though he later reinstated a logical need for an aether in a commentary on his theory of general relativity, modern astrophysical theories do not include this classical element.

In Pop Culture

In the Disney/Jetix television show, W.I.T.C.H., the leader of the team is Will. Will's power is quintessence.
In '', the main character, , can gain a skill called Aether. Ike will also use a move by this name in ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl''. Also, in , another game, the life force of all humans is called quintessence, which people possess in varying amounts.
In '' Aether is the planet where Samus Aran's adventure takes place
The 1997 Luc Besson movie, The Fifth Element, oppositionally portrayed Love as a fifth element.

References

1. "ether". ''The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language''. 4th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2006.
2. Pokorny, Julius (1959). Indogermanisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, s.v. ''ai-dh-.''
3. G. E. R. Lloyd, ''Aristotle: The Growth and Structure of his Thought'', Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Pr., 1968, pp. 133-139, ISBN 0-521-09456-9.
4. E. Grant, ''Planets, Stars, & Orbs: The Medieval Cosmos, 1200-1687'', Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Pr., 1994, pp. 422-428, ISBN 0-521-56509-X.
5. Robert Fludd, "Mosaical Philosophy". London, Humphrey Moseley, 1659. Pg 221.

General

★ FAQ - The Ancient Elements of Nature Ancient proto-scientific conceptualisations of the domain of nature into its constituent elements ... Earth, Water, Air, Fire and the Aether.