Search results
Aug 23, 2005 · Ancient Atomism. First published Tue Aug 23, 2005; substantive revision Tue Oct 18, 2022. A number of philosophical schools in different parts of the ancient world held that the universe is composed of some kind of ‘atoms’ or minimal parts, albeit for different reasons. Although the modern term ‘atom’ derives from the ancient Greek ...
Lived c. 460 — c. 370 BC Democritus, the laughing philosopher, had ideas far in advance of his time. He is famous for his atomic theory featuring tiny particles always in motion interacting through collisions; his belief that the universe is governed entirely by natural, mechanistic laws rather than gods; his description of a universe
Sep 20, 2022 · The atomists of the time (Democritus being one of the leading atomists) believed there were two realities that made up the physical world: atoms and void. There were an infinite number of atoms, but different types of atoms had different sizes and shapes. The void was the empty space in which the atoms moved and collided with one another.
Nov 21, 2023 · Democritus was alive from 460 to 370 BC and is largely famous for imagining the first atomic theory and model; that is, the first theory that explained the nature of matter as being composed of ...
- 5 min
- 23K
History of atomic theory. The current theoretical model of the atom involves a dense nucleus surrounded by a probabilistic "cloud" of electrons. Atomic theory is the scientific theory that matter is composed of particles called atoms. The definition of the word "atom" has changed over the years in response to scientific discoveries.
Dec 11, 2015 · Democritus, ancient Greek philosopher who is credited with the birth of atomic theory. Credit: phil-fak.uni-duesseldorf.de Posted on December 11, 2015 July 27, 2016 by Matt Williams
Leucippus and Democritus were the earliest Greek atomists. The originator of the atomic theory, Leucippus (fifth century BCE), must be considered a speculative thinker of the first order, but to Democritus (c. 460 – c. 370 BCE) must go the credit for working out the detailed application of the theory and supporting it with a subtle epistemology.
