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The Atomists

Presented by Benson Harlan

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Empedocles (490-430 BCE)

  • Brought Parmenides’ and Heraciltus’ seemingly opposite ideas together
  • Separated the natural world into four elements: earth, air, fire, and water
  • When every something dies or something ‘different’ is made, it is simply the elements separated and joining together to form different substances
  • Each element was essential for life

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2b/Empedocles_in_Thomas_Stanley_History_of_Philosophy.jpg/220px-Empedocles_in_Thomas_Stanley_History_of_Philosophy.jpg

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Anaxagoras (500-428 BCE)

  • Did not agree with Empedocles
  • Said nature was built by an infinite number of microscopic particles
  • Even the smallest particles can be separated
  • Called these particles seeds
  • Thought there was life on other planets

https://ericgerlachdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/anaxagoras.jpg

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Democritus (460-370 BCE)

  • Figured that the natural world was built up of tiny blocks called atom
  • Could not be divided and are eternal
  • Were not all the same
  • Dispersed and reformed into new objects
  • Was a materialist
  • Believed in soul atoms

https://geoffneilsen.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/democritus490x600.jpg?w=245&h=300

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Work Cited

Gaarder, Jostein. Sophie's World: A Novel About the History of Philosophy. Berkley, 1997.