Project

In
Philo 1
Submitted to:
Prof. Cabagui
Submitted by:
De Los Reyes, Angel Joy P.
Nunez, John Carbee
4th yr. BEED-A
PHILOSOPHY1
Tue.&Fri. 6:00-7:30 pm
Date:_____________
Acknowledgement
DEMOCRITUS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION

Democritus was born in the city of Abdera in Thrace, an Ionian colony of Teos, although some
called him a Milesian.He was born in the 80th Olympiad (460457 BC) according
to Apollodorus of Athens, and although Thrasyllus placed his birth in 470 BC,the later date is
probably more likely. John Burnet has argued that the date of 460 is "too early" since, according
to Diogenes Lartius ix.41, Democritus said that he was a "young man (neos)"
during Anaxagoras's old age (c. 440428). It was said that Democritus's father was from a noble
family and so wealthy that he received Xerxes on his march through Abdera. Democritus spent
the inheritance which his father left him on travels into distant countries, to satisfy his thirst for
knowledge. He traveled to Asia, and was even said to have reached India and Ethiopia.
It is known that he wrote on Babylon and Meroe; he visited Egypt, and Diodorus Siculus states that he
lived there for five years.He himself declared that among his contemporaries none had made greater
journeys, seen more countries, and met more scholars than himself. He particularly mentions the Egyptian
mathematicians, whose knowledge he praises. Theophrastus, too, spoke of him as a man who had seen
many countries.During his travels, according to Diogenes Lartius, he became acquainted with
the Chaldeanmagi. "Ostanes", one of the magi accompanying Xerxes, was also said to have taught him.
After returning to his native land he occupied himself with natural philosophy. He traveled throughout
Greece to acquire a better knowledge of its cultures. He mentions many Greek philosophers in his
writings, and his wealth enabled him to purchase their writings. Leucippus, the founder of atomism, was
the greatest influence upon him. He also praises Anaxagoras. Diogenes Laertius says that he was friends
with Hippocrates. He may have been acquainted with Socrates, but Plato does not mention him and
Democritus himself is quoted as saying, "I came to Athens and no one knew me."Aristotle placed him
among the pre-Socratic natural philosophers.

The many anecdotes about Democritus, especially in Diogenes Laertius, attest to his disinterest,
modesty, and simplicity, and show that he lived exclusively for his studies. One story has him
deliberately blinding himself in order to be less disturbed in his pursuits; it may well be true that
he lost his sight in old age. He was cheerful, and was always ready to see the comical side of life,
which later writers took to mean that he always laughed at the foolishness of people. He was
highly esteemed by his fellow citizens, because as Diogenes Lartius says, "he had foretold them
some things which events proved to be true," which may refer to his knowledge of natural
phenomena. According to Diodorus Siculus,Democritus died at the age of 90, which would put
his death around 370 BC, but other writers have him living to 104,or even 109.Marcus Aurelius,
in his book Meditations, says that Democritus was eaten by lice or vermin, although in the same
passage he writes that "other lice killed Socrates", suggesting this might be metaphorical.
Popularly known as the Laughing Philosopher (for laughing at human follies), the
terms Abderitan laughter, which means scoffing, incessant laughter, and Abderite, which means
a scoffer, are derived from Democritus. To his fellow citizens he was also known as "The
Mocker".
Democritus, the "father of modern science," changed the face of science forever with his
theories. He was believed to have excelled in all branches of knowledge, most notably
philosophy and science. His name is most widely associated with the foundlings of the atomic
theory of matter, according to which all matter is composed of single, indivisible atoms. He even
coined the term atom; he stated that these tiny particles are indivisible, and therefore he named
them after the Greek word for "indivisible."
Democritus proposed that if you take a piece of, say, wood, and cut it in half over and over,
eventually you would reach a point where it could not be further. This was where he pulled the
conclusion that atoms are divisible from. While not right on every aspect (atoms are divisible) he
still paved the way for modern theory and atomic development. Without his and his mentor's
ideas, there may not be a modern atomic theory, nor the studies involved with it. His books
inspired men like Dalton to expand on his theories, to explain the physical and chemical
properties of these atoms and as a result, the elements.
The atomic theory as we know it today started with Democritus', and his mentor's,
contemplations on matter.
There is no evidence of any experimental data associated with his findings, but that was common
of Greek philosophers of the time. it was typical for many Greek philosophers to conceive their
theories from mere reasoning.