Parmenides of Elea is best known for his short and fragmented poem entitled “Nature”. It is considered "one of the most significant pre-Socratic philosophies". (Biographical Basis) He was born in the Greek colony of Elea, Italy, in 515 and died in 450 BC. Parmenides was a student of Xenophanes of Colophon, who greatly influenced his philosophy. Parmenides founded the school of Elea, which Zeno (who was much younger than Parmenides) attended. His fellow citizens of Elea loved him dearly and attributed their city's prosperity to the thorough legislation that Parmenides had put in place. He is said to have written many laws for the city of Elea. Much of Parmenides' life is in question because some of his only work available today is the fragmented poem, and much of his daily life is unknown. Nonetheless, Parmenides is an important figure who helped shape modern philosophy, as well as the ideas and theories of his time. His best known and available work is his poem entitled “Nature”. It is fragmented because part has been lost or has not been...