Where and when did democritus live?
An Ancient Greek pre-Socratic philosopher is known as Democritus.[4]
There are disagreements about the exact year of Democritus' birth.It is difficult to disentangle his contributions from those of his mentor Leucippus.Their speculation on atoms, taken from Leucippus, bears a resemblance to the 19th-century understanding of atomic structure that has led some to regard Democritus as more of a scientist than other Greek philosophers; however, their ideas rested on very different bases.Plato wanted all of his books to be burned because he disliked Democritus so much.He was the teacher of Protagoras and was well known to his fellow northern-born philosopher.[7]
The "Father of modern science" is believed to be Democritus.None of his writings have survived, and only fragments are known from his vast body of work.10
Some called him a Milesian because he was born in the Ionian colony of Teos.According to Apollodorus of Athens, he was born in the 80th Olympiad in 480 BC, but the later date is more likely.Democritus said that he was a "Young man (neos)" during Anaxagoras's old age.The score was 440–428.It was said that Democritus's father was so rich that he received Xerxes on his march.He spent the inheritance his father left him on travels to satisfy his thirst for knowledge.He was said to have traveled to India and Ethiopia.[16]
Diodorus Siculus states that he lived in Egypt for five years.He claimed that none of his peers had made greater journeys, seen more countries and met more scholars than himself.He praises the Egyptian mathematicians.Theophrastus said he was a man who had seen many countries.He became acquainted with the magi during his travels.One of the magi accompanying Xerxes was said to have taught him.He learned from the gymnosophists during his journey to India.[13]
He had natural philosophy after returning to his native land.He traveled to Greece to learn more about its culture.His wealth allowed him to purchase the writings of many Greek philosophers.He was influenced by Leucippus, the founder of atomism.He praises Anaxagoras."It would seem that he also went to Athens and was not anxious to be recognized, because he despised fame, and that while he knew of Socrates, he didn't want anyone to notice him."He was placed among the pre-Socratic natural philosophers.[ 24]
The many anecdotes about Democritus attest to his modesty and simplicity, and show that he lived solely for his studies.It is possible that he lost his sight in old age because he deliberately blinding himself in order to be less disturbed in his pursuit.He was cheerful and always ready to see the funny side of life, which later writers said he always laughed at the foolishness of people.[26]
He was highly esteemed by his fellow citizens because he had foretold some things which events proved to be true.According to Diodorus Siculus, Democritus died at the age of 90, but other writers have him living to 104 or even109.[29]
The term Laughing Philosopher, which means laughing at human folly, is derived from the Greek word for laughing.He was known as "The Mocker" to his fellow citizens."Si foret in terris, rideret Democritus would laugh at human ambitions and amusements" is a reference in Horace's Epistles.
According to most sources, Democritus followed in the footsteps of Leucippus and carried on the scientific rationalist philosophy associated with Miletus.Both believed that everything was the result of natural laws.The atomists tried to explain the world without any reasoning.The questions of physics should be answered with a mechanistic explanation.Their opponents are searching for explanations which include the material and mechanistic, as well as the formal and teleological.According to Eusebius, Democritus is in a line of philosophy that began with Xenophanes and ended with Pyrrhonism.[32]
If you want tranquility, do less.According to Gregory Hayes, IV:24, Marcus Aurelius wrote from meditations.The notes were written by G. Hayes.
As he wrote theoretically on poetry and fine art, Democritus established aesthetic as a subject of investigation and study.Only a small portion of Democritus's thoughts and ideas can be found in the six works identified by Thrasyllus.
The theory of Democritus held that everything is composed of atoms, which are physically, but not geometrically, indivisible.The heavier the atom is, the more indivisible it is.His position on atomic weight is disputed.[5]
Leucippus is credited with being the first to develop the theory of atomism, although he was not the inventor of the idea.The theologically motivated view does not seem to claim much historical evidence, according to the Encyclopedia of Philosophy.36
The earliest views on the shapes and connections of atoms were proposed by Democritus.The shape of the atoms is related to the material's solidness.The atoms of iron, water, salt, and air are all solid and strong with hooks that lock them into a solid.Using analogies from humans' sense experiences, he gave a picture or image of an atom that distinguished them from each other by their shape, their size, and the arrangement of their parts.The connections were explained by the material links in which single atoms were attached.The Democritean atom is a solid that interacts with other atoms.Modern quantum-mechanical atoms interact via electric and magnetic force fields.
The theory of the atomists seems to be close to modern science.When trying to understand where the hypothesis came from, the similarity with modern concepts of science can be confusing.Classical atomists didn't have an empirical basis for their concepts.
Lucretius gives very clear and compelling empirical arguments for the original atomist theory.The material is subject to irreversible decay.Hard rocks are slowly worn down by drops of water.Things get mixed up because of the tendency to mix water with soil and mud.The wood decays.Nature and technology can recreate materials like water, air, and metals.An oak tree is made of similar wood as historical oak trees, the wood of which has already decayed.The conclusion is that the inherent, indivisible properties of materials must derive from something inside.The basic question is, "Why has everything in the world not yet decayed, and how can exactly some of the same materials, plants and animals be recreated again and again?"One solution to explain how indivisible properties can be conveyed in a way not easily visible to human senses is to hypothesize the existence of "atoms".The atoms of classical science are closer to the idea ofmolecule than to modern science.The void is the central point of classical atomism.The void is necessary to explain how gases and liquids can flow and change shape, while metals can be molded without their basic material properties changing.
The idea that there can be no movement was the basis of the atomistic void hypothesis.Any movement would need a void, but nothing can exist.The Parmenidean position was that there is not a void.The position of Parmenides was vindicated by the observation that there is air and light waves even if there isn't anything.
The atomists agreed that motion needed a void, but didn't take the argument of Parmenides into account.They said there must be a void.This idea survived in a refined version ofNewton's theory of absolute space, which met the logical requirements of attributing reality to not-being.The answer to Parmenides and Zeno was provided by Einstein's theory of relativity, which showed that space is relative and cannot be separated from time.Newton's refinement is no longer needed.[42]
The perception through the senses is subjective and the knowledge of truth is difficult.We can't judge the truth through the impressions we derive from the same senses.The truth can only be grasped through the intellect, because the senses' data is in a state of disrepair.
Many of the other animals get different impressions than ours, and even to the senses of each individual, things don't always seem the same.The one set is not more true than the other, but both are the same.This is why Democritus says that either there is no truth or it is not obvious.[42]
They think that Zeno of Elea and Democritus are sceptics because they reject qualities.[42]
There are two types of knowing, the one he calls "legitimate" and the other "bastard".Thebastard knowledge is only concerned with the perception through the senses.The atoms from the objects to the senses have an effect on the perception of sensuality.Our senses are stimulated by the different shapes of atoms when they come to us.[45]
All sense data from the "bastard" must be elaborated through reasoning in order to achieve the second sort of knowledge.It is possible to get away from the false perception of "bastard" knowledge and grasp the truth through the use of inductive reasoning.After taking into account the sense impressions, one can examine the causes of the appearances, draw conclusions about the laws that govern them, and discover the causality by which they are related.Inductive reasoning is the procedure of thought from the parts to the whole.This is an example of why Democritus is considered to be an early thinker.The process is similar to how science gathers its conclusions.
According to the Canons, there are two types of knowing, one through the senses and the other via the intellect.He calls the one through the intellect 'legitimate' attesting its trustworthiness for the judgement of truth and the other 'bastard' denying its inerrancy in the discrimination of what is true.There are two forms of knowledge, one legitimate and one bastard.Sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch belong to the bastard.The other is not related to that.The legitimate comes when the bastard can no longer see any smaller, hear, smell, taste, or perceive by touch, since it has a fine organ of perception.[46]
In the Confirmations, he says, "But we in actuality grasp nothing for certain, but what shifts in accordance with the condition of the body and the things which enter it and press upon it."[47]
He prefers to discover causality than become a king of Persia, according to Democritus.'[47]
maxims are the ethics and politics of Democritus.Despite the large number of ethical sayings, it is difficult to construct a coherent account of Democritus's ethical views, according to the Encyclopedia of Philosophy.[49]
He doesn't include women or slaves in his sentiment of equality.Poverty in a democracy is better than prosperity under tyrants, for the same reason that one prefers liberty over slavery.According to the History of Western Philosophy, Democritus was in love with democracy.The home of a great soul is the whole world, according to Democritus.According to Democritus, those in power should take it upon themselves to lend to the poor and to aid them, and then is there pity and no isolation but camaraderie and mutual defense among the citizens and other good things too many to list.When money is used with sense, it leads to generosity and charity, while money used in folly causes a common expense for the society.He says that making money is not useless and that doing so as a result of wrongdoing is the worst of all things.He values wealth less than self-sufficiency.He believed that a society had the right to execute a criminal or enemy if it did not violate any law, treaty, or oath.[4]
He believed that goodness came from practice and discipline.He said that association with the wicked increases one's disposition to vice.One must master anger in order to be rational.Those who take pleasure in the misfortunes of their neighbors don't realize that their fortunes are tied to the society in which they live.Happiness was a property of the soul according to Democritus.He advocated a life of contentment with as little grief as possible, which he said could not be achieved through either idleness or preoccupation with worldly pleasures.He said that to be content one must set their judgement on the possible and be satisfied with what they have.On occasion, Democritus approved of extravagance, as he held that feasts and celebrations were necessary for joy and relaxation.He cautions that learning without sense leads to error.[4]
The pioneer of mathematics and geometry was Democritus.Since all of Democritus's work did not survive the Middle Ages, we only know this through citations of his works.
A cone and pyramid with the same base area and height have a third of the volume of a cylinder.Eudoxus of Cnidus provided the proof of the statement instead of Democritus.[52]
There is also Plutarch.De Comm.If a plane parallel to the base cuts a cone, are the surfaces of the section and base equal or different?If they are equal, the cone becomes a cylinder and if they aren't, it becomes an irregular cone.It has been suggested that Democritus may be a progenitor of infinitesimals and of integral calculus.55 and 56
His work on nature is known through citations of his books on the subjects of On the Nature of Man, On Flesh and On Mind.He spent a lot of his life looking at plants and minerals.According to democritus, the first humans lived an anarchic and animal sort of life, living off the most palatable herbs and fruit which grew wild on the trees.He said that they were driven into societies for fear of wild animals.He believed that the early people had no language, but that they gradually began to articulate their expressions, establishing symbols for every object, and in this way came to understand each other.He says that the earliest men didn't know anything about farming, clothing, houses, fire, or domestication.According to democritus, the early period of mankind was one of learning by trial and error, as they took refuge in the caves in winter, stored fruits that could be preserved, and built upon each new discovery.[3][58]
The universe was originally composed of nothing but tiny atoms, until they collided together to form larger units, according to democritus.He surmised that there are many worlds, some growing, others decaying, and some with no sun or moon.He believed that a world could be destroyed by collision with another world.[59]