Democritus | |
|---|---|
 A philosopher, possibly Democritus. Casting of bust of the Villa of the Papyri.[1] | |
| Born | c. 460 BC |
| Died | c. 370 BC (aged approximately 90) |
| Era | Pre-Socratic philosophy |
| Region | Western philosophy |
| School | Atomism |
Main interests | |
Notable ideas | |
Democritus (/dɪˈmɒkrɪtəs/, dim-OCK-rit-əs; Greek: Δημόκριτος, Dēmókritos, meaning "chosen of the people"; c. 460 – c. 370 BC) was an Ancient Greek pre-Socratic philosopher from Abdera, primarily remembered today for his formulation of an atomic theory of the universe.[2] Democritus wrote extensively on a wide variety of topics.[3]
None of Democritus' original work has survived, except through second-hand references. Many of these references come from Aristotle, who viewed him as an important rival in the field of natural philosophy.[4] He was known in antiquity as the ‘laughing philosopher’ because of his emphasis on the value of cheerfulness.[5]
Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).
- ^ De Petra, Giulio; Sogliano, Antonio; Patroni, Giovanni; Mariani, L.; Bassi, Domenico; Marucchi, Orazio; Conti, A. (eds.). Illustrated guide to the National Museum in Naples : sanctioned by the Ministry of education. Naples : Richter & Co. p. 68. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
- ^ Barnes 1987.
- ^ Kenny, Anthony. Ancient Philosophy. Oxford Publications. p. 27. ISBN 9780198752721.
- ^ Berryman 2016.
- ^ Berryman, Sylvia (Spring 2023). ""Democritus", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2023 Edition), Edward N. Zalta & Uri Nodelman (eds.)". The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2023 Edition), Edward N. Zalta & Uri Nodelman (eds.). Retrieved 30 April 2024.