Democritus
Democritus (/dɪˈmɒkrɪtəs/; Greek: Δημόκριτος Dēmókritos, meanin "chosen o the fowk"; c. 460 – c. 370 BC) wis an influential Auncient Greek pre-Socratic philosopher primarily remembered the day for his formulation o an atomic theory o the universe.[3]
Democritus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | c. 460 BC Abdera, Thrace |
| Dee'd | c. 370 BC (aged aroond 90) |
| Era | Pre-Socratic philosophie |
| Region | Western philosophie |
| Schuil | Pre-Socratic philosophie |
Main interests | |
Notable ideas | |
Influences
| |
Democritus wis born in Abdera, Thrace,[4] aroond 460 BC, awtho thare are disgreements about the exact year. His exact contreibutions are difficult tae disentangle frae thae o his mentor Leucippus, as thay are eften mentioned thegither in texts. Thair speculation on atoms, taken frae Leucippus, beirs a passin an pairtial resemblance tae the 19t-century unnerstaundin o atomic structur that haes led some tae regaird Democritus as mair o a scientist nor ither Greek philosophers; houiver, thair ideas restit on verra different bases.[5] Lairgely ignored in auncient Athens, Democritus is said tae hae been disliked sae muckle bi Plato that the latter wished aw o his beuks birned.[6] He wis nivertheless weel kent tae his fellae northren-born philosopher Aristotle. Mony conseder Democritus tae be the "faither o modren science".[7] Nane o his writins hae survived; anerly fragments are kent from his vast bouk o wark.[8]
Notes
eeditReferences
eedit- ↑ DK 68 B118.
- ↑ DK 59 A80: Aristotle, Meteorologica 342b.
- ↑ Barnes (1987).
- ↑ Russell, pp. 64–65.
- ↑ Stephen Toulmin and June Goodfield, The Architecture of Matter (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1962), 56.
- ↑ Diogenes Laërtius, Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers, ix. 40: "Aristoxenus in his Historical Notes affirms that Plato wished to burn all the writings of Democritus that he could collect".
- ↑ Pamela Gossin, Encyclopedia of Literature and Science, 2002.
- ↑ Democritus at Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy