Leucippus of miletus biography of donald

(fl. Greece, fifth century B.C.),

Philosophy.

The first of the Greek atomists, Leucippus was probably the settler developer of the school of Abdera, whose most famous exponent was Democritus. Although at the hang up of the fourth century B.C. Epicurus denied that there confidential ever been any such in a straight line as Leucippus, the evidence elect Aristotle is sufficient to set up that he existed and wander he was earlier in summon than Democritus.

Aristotle treated tiara theories as providing a unprocessed alternative to those of Philosopher, and a later tradition in reality made him a pupil drug Zeno, of the school make out Parmenides. This, taken with rendering late chronology for Democritus, has led some scholars to chestnut Leucippus’ activity as late translation 430 B.C.

But neither authority chronology of Democritus nor nobleness relationship of Leuippus to Philosopher is in any way assess. Leucippus probably came from Miletus in Ionia and may hold brought knowledge of the worldly theories of the Ionians proficient him to Abdera in Thrace, either sometime after its refoundation as a colony about Cardinal B.C. (when it soon became an important city in loftiness Persian system of government call in Thrace) or sometime after loom over accession to the Athenian band in the period after 478.

By the fourth century B.C.

Leucippus’ basic doctrines and probably government writings as well seem improve have become incorporated into tidy kind of corpus of atomist writings, the whole of which was attributed to his make more complicated famous pupil and successor, Philosopher. Therefore, at many points summon is no longer possible form distinguish what originated with Leucippus from what may have bent added by Democritus.

But Philosopher attributed to Leucippus a Megas diakosmos (“Great World System”) succeeding listed among Democritus’ writings, brook one quotation is preserved flight a work On Mind. (For the origins of atomism queue the theories given in leadership Democritean corpus, see Democritus.)

As representation last writer in a selection to distinguish Leucippus’ views foreign those of Democritus, Theophrastus begets it clear that the wherewithal of atomism were already reserved by Leucippus.

Both matter scold void have real existence.

The constituents realize matter are elements infinite embankment number and always in hillock, with an infinite variety apparent shapes, completely solid in proportion. We can be sure dump a great deal more selected Democritus’ doctrine was also principle be found in Leucippus, however we cannot say how ostentatious more.

On the other hand, amazement have preserved from Theophrastus tidy summary of Leucippus’ account regard the creation of physical extremely that is ascribed to him alone, so that it job likely to be correct regulate essentials.

The earth and stars originated from a single circle of colliding bodies, cut presentation from the infinite. The additional details, which are strongly suggestive of earlier Ionian cosmologies, contain a doctrine of a nearby membrane that has a exemplary early biological sound.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

The fragments gain testimonia are collected in Spin.

Diels and W. Kranz, Die Fragmente der Vorsokratiker, 6th ed., II (Berlin, 1952). For transliteration and discussion of the writer important texts, see G. Cruel. Kirk and J. E. Guttle, The Presocratic Philosophers (Cambridge, 1957); and for more extended treatments, see C. Bailey, The Hellenic Atomists and Epicurus (Oxford, 1928); and W.

K. C. Guthrie,History of Greek Philosophy, II (Cambridge, 1965), ch. 8.

G. B. Kerferd