We tell you who Democritus was, his life and thoughts. Also, the theory of atomism, his work and reception.
Democritus of Abdera is considered the father of modern science for his atomic theory.
Who was Democritus of Abdera?
Democritus of Abdera (460-370 BC) was a Greek philosopher and polymath born in Abdera, Thrace, known for his atomistic conception of the universe.According to Democritus, the universe is composed of atoms, which are tiny, indivisible blocks. He is considered one of the “fathers of physics” and of modern science.
A disciple of Leucippus (5th century BC) and teacher of Protagoras (485-411 BC), Democritus belonged to the School of Abdera, located in Thrace. It is believed that he inherited from Leucippus his atomistic conception of the universe, since they are often cited together, making it difficult to distinguish the thought of one from the other.
In addition to atomism, Democritus is known for being “the laugher” or “the philosopher who laughs,” since he gave great importance to joy.. Although all of his work was lost, some authors close to his time maintain that he wrote almost seventy books, including treatises on ethics, astronomy, literature, agriculture, and geometry.
On the other hand, it is believed that Democritus influenced Socrates on ethical issues and Plato on the theory of ideas. In addition to having been a disciple of Leucippus, Democritus studied the seed theory of Anaxagoras (500-428 BC)which maintains that the universe is made up of seeds that make things be, and from which he was inspired to formulate atomism.
Life of Democritus
Democritus (460-370 BC) was an ancient Greek philosopher and scientist born in Abdera, Thrace (now part of Greece).He is known for being one of the precursors of atomistic philosophy and for his contributions to atomic theory.
After traveling to Egypt, Persia and Babylon, Democritus studied under Leucippus, another Greek philosopher.Together they developed the theory that the world was composed of indivisible and indestructible particles called “atoms.” According to his philosophy, all things were made up of combinations of these atoms, which differed in shape and size.This theory influenced the understanding of matter and the universe for centuries.
Democritus was interested in a variety of fields, including ethics and psychology. He held that happiness was found in peace of mind and moderation in all things. He also speculated on the nature of the mind and perceptions, considering them as a result of the interactions of atoms in the body.
Although his work influenced the history of philosophy and science, and later philosophers such as Epicurus and Lucretius, much of his writings have been lost. Much of the information we have about Democritus comes from references and quotes from other ancient philosophers and writers.
His focus on the nature of reality and matter, as well as his ideas on happiness and ethics, make him a significant figure in the Greek philosophical tradition.
Thought of Democritus
The thought of Democritus is known for his theory of atomism, which holds that the universe is composed of indivisible particles called atoms.. This theory was the development of some philosophical lines of the time, such as the theory of Anaxagoras’ seeds.
In his time he was considered a counterfigure of Heraclitus of Ephesus (540-480 BC), not only for its clarity, but for its vitality and freshness, contrary to the darkness attributed to the philosopher of Ephesus.
Although he was a prolific author, none of his works survive. There are no literal fragments of the atomistic theory of Democritus and his teacher Leucippus, although reliable and precise testimonies have been preserved. Not knowing what was said by each of them, they are usually presented together as co-authors of the theory, since it is almost impossible to know clearly what corresponds to the teacher and what to the disciple.
Democritus’ atomic model
The atomism of Democritus and Leucippus maintains that the universe is composed of atoms. This theory does not have to be thought in relation to modern atoms, since its origin is logical.
The theory developed by these thinkers respected, first of all, the characteristics of being postulated by the Eleatic school, especially the ideas of Parmenides (unity and immutability of being, the rejection of change and the eternity of being, among others). For example, Neither Democritus nor Leucippus believed in the corruption of being, the passage from the one to the multiple and other ideas prevailing at the time.
The atomists wanted to explain reality based on a new way of conceiving being and emptiness. Thus, they affirmed that being is corporeal, that the plurality of being with characteristics of the Parminean “one” being was possible and that matter was a single but multiple nature, composed of indivisible particles of the unique being, which they called atoms.
For Democritus, each atom reproduced the being of Parmenides, and was imperishable, homogeneous, finite, full, continuous and indivisible. On the other hand, to explain how these atoms were distributed in space, he used the idea of emptiness, which allowed him to explain movement and the things that are and exist in the universe.
Reception of the work of Democritus
Although none of Democritus’ works have survived to the present day, it is known that he was a very prolific author and is believed to have written around seventy works.
However, some authors maintain that Democritus wrote fifty-two works: books on ethics, physics, mathematics, music, language and literature, and also on technical topics. All of them are believed to have stood out for their careful prose.
Only three hundred short fragments on ethical issues have survived to this day. The rest of his ideas on physics, science, mathematics and even literature have been lost over time.
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References
- BERNABÉ, A. (1980). “The pre-Socratic philosophers.” Translated C. EGGERS and VE JULIÁ. Emerita, 48, 154.
- Brun, J. (1995). The Presocratics (Vol. 35). Publications Cruz O., SA.
- Laercio, D. (2019). Lives of the most illustrious philosophers (Vol. 1). Editorial Verbum.
- VV.AA. (2007) The Pre-Socratic Philosophers, translation and notes: Nestor Luis Cordero, Ernesto La Croce, Maria Santa Cruz de Prunes, Barcelona: Gredos.