Who is credited with developing the theory of four basic elements: earth, water, air, and fire?

The theory of four basic elements—earth, water, air, and fire—is attributed to Empedocles, a Greek philosopher who lived in the 5th century BCE. Empedocles proposed that these four elements constituted all matter and that they combined and separated under the influence of two opposing forces he identified as Love and Strife. This framework was essential in developing early understanding of the natural world and influenced later philosophical and scientific thought.

Empedocles's work marked a significant departure from earlier ideas that typically focused on a singular substance or a smaller set of elements. His theory provided a more comprehensive view of the material world, laying the groundwork for future explorations in both philosophy and science, as subsequent philosophers and scientists built upon or reacted to his ideas about the nature of matter.