Heraclitus was a Greek philosopher known for his independent thinking and is not typically associated with any particular school of thought. Born into an aristocratic family, he described himself as self-taught and was unsparing in his criticism of both his predecessors and his contemporaries. A loner by nature, Heraclitus is said to have suffered from melancholia, which hindered the completion of several of his works. His disdain for mankind, combined with the enigmatic nature of his writings, earned him the nickname the Weeping Philosopher. The ambiguous and cryptic style of his writings has made them subject to numerous, often conflicting, interpretations. Heraclitus is best known for his doctrine of constant change, encapsulated in the phrase "everything flows" (panta rhei), and for his concept of the "unity of opposites." His works significantly influenced the development of the concept of Logos, which he viewed as a principle of order and knowledge governing the universe. Regarded as one of the most important pre-Socratic philosophers, Heraclitus gained fame for rejecting the accepted norms and traditions of his time, as well as for his sharp criticism of the so-called "wise" men revered by society. While his own work was influenced by the ideas of his predecessors, he remains a unique and original thinker who made a lasting impact on the development of Western philosophy.