Democritus biography summary page by color

Democritus was a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher. He was born at Abdera in Thrace and lived from around B. Democritus developed atomism which originated with Leucippus. All atoms are qualitatively homogeneous, different only in form, shape, and size. The qualitative diversity of the world is reduced to and explained by quantitative and physical differences.

From physical phenomena to perception and thinking, all phenomena both physical and spiritual were explained by mechanical materialism.

What did democritus discover

This was the first purely materialist thought in the history of Greek philosophy. It is virtually impossible to tell which of these ideas were unique to Democritus, and which were attributable to Leucippus due to a lack of surviving fragments, aside from ascribing the originator to Leucippus and the successor to Democritus. It was known that Democritus produced works on a wide range of subjects, and that Thrasyllus, a first century Roman scholar, arranged his writings which included works on ethics , natural science , mathematics, music , and technical matters.

Nothing survived except a limited number of fragments. His atomist ontology and hedonism was succeeded by Epicurus. Democritus is said to have had a happy disposition, and is sometimes referred to as the "laughing philosopher," as opposed to Heraclitus , who is known as the "weeping philosopher. Atoms are in constant motion.

Democritus model

When the atoms move they come into contact with other atoms and form bodies. A thing comes into being when the atoms that compose it are appropriately associated, and passes away when these parts disperse. This leaves no room for the intelligent direction of things, either by human or divine intelligence, as all that exist are atoms and the void.

For Democritus, the entire world is physical material organized by mechanical physical principles.