Democritus

Democritus remained unmarried for the entirety of his life, dedicating himself to the study of various philosophical doctrines. He is said to have lived over a hundred years by certain sources, even though according to Diodorus Siculus, he died at the age of 90, in around 370 BC.

Democritus remained unmarried for the entirety of his life, dedicating himself to the study of various philosophical doctrines. He is said to have lived over a hundred years by certain sources, even though according to Diodorus Siculus, he died at the age of 90, in around 370 BC.

While there has been a revival of interest in his work by twentieth century scholars for his precise theory of atoms, he was respected by most of his contemporaries as well. However, Plato, one of the most celebrated ancient Greek philosophers, is said to have hated him so much that he wished all his books be burned.

Democritus was born in the 80th Olympiad (460–457 BC), even though some scholars believe that he was born in about 470 BC. There is confusion about his birthplace as well; while he is believed to be born in the city of Abdera in Thrace, some consider him a Milesian.

It is generally assumed that his father was from a wealthy noble family and had received Xerxes on his march through Abdera during the Second Persian War.

Some sources maintain that the Persian monarch had left several gifts for the Abderites, including a number of Magi, who are said to have taught him astronomy and theology.

Following the death of his father, he decided to spend his fortune in the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom, and embarked on a journey to distant countries. He visited Egypt, Persia, Ethiopia, and parts of Asia, and had reportedly travelled as far as India.

According to Greek historian Diodorus Siculus, he stayed in Egypt for about five years upon his visit. In his writings, he himself mentioned and praised Egyptian mathematicians for their profound knowledge.

Democritus eventually returned to his homeland, Abdera, after his wealth expired, following which his brother Damosis took him in. In order to avoid the law of Abdera which punished those who wasted their inheritance by depriving them of the rites of burial, he started giving public lectures to earn the favor of the people.

With his profound knowledge of various natural phenomena, he was able to successfully predict events like weather change, which made him famous among the local citizens. While he was highly esteemed by the common people, he avoided involving himself in public affairs and led a very simple and modest life dedicated to his studies.

8He had a great sense of humor, for which he became known as ‘The Laughing Philosopher’. He earned the nickname ‘The Mocker’ from his fellow citizens for his ability to laugh at human follies.

It is popularly believed that he took forward his predecessor Leucippus’ idea of atomism that everything is composed of various invisible, imperishable and indivisible elements called atoms. However, as the historical authenticity of Leucippus is uncertain, many credit Democritus as the originator of the theory.

The atomists were more interested in the material and mechanistic cause of an event, asking what resulted in the occurrence of the event. In doing so, they stood in stark contrast to other renowned Greek philosophers like Aristotle or Plato who sought to explain the purpose of an event.

According to him, the atom is an inert solid which interacts with other atoms mechanically, via material links connected with single atoms as attachments. Along with his disciple Epicurus, he further elaborated on the shape and size of atoms, stating that different materials had differently shaped atoms, and maintained that atoms are perpetually in motion.

When compared to the other prevalent theories of the time, the atomist theory comes remarkably close in similarity with modern concepts of science, even though more akin to the modern concept of ‘molecules’ than ‘atoms’. However, rather than being based on empirical proof, it originated from the observation that because everything eventually decays and is sometimes recreated, there must be some invisible building blocks of materials that never decay.

A major part of the atomistic hypothesis is that there must be considerable amount of empty space between atoms, termed ‘the void’, which makes the perpetual motion of the atoms possible. The void is also necessary to explain the existence of liquid and gas, which can flow and change shape, and the fact that metals can be forged into any shape without losing property.