Who Was Democritus?

As the philosopher Nietzsche famously said “He who would learn to fly one day must first learn to stand
and walk and run and climb and dance; one cannot fly into flying.” This is certainly true when it comes to
humanity’s understanding of the universe, something which has evolved over many thousands of years
and been the subject of ongoing discovery.

And along the way, many names stand out as examples of people who achieved breakthroughs and
helped lay the foundations of our modern understanding. One such person is Democritus, an ancient
Greek philosopher who is viewed by many as being the “father of modern science”. This is due to his
theory of universe that is made up of tiny “atoms”, which bears a striking resemblance to modern atomic
theory.

Though he is typically viewed as one of Greece’s many pre-Socratic natural philosopher, many historians
have argued that he is more rightly classified as a scientist, at least when compared to his
contemporaries. There has also been significant controversy – particularly in Germany during the 19th
century – over whether or not Democritus deserves credit for atomic theory.

This argument is based on the relationship Democritus had with contemporary philosopher Leucippus,
who is renowned for sharing his theory about atoms with him. However, their theories came down to a
different basis, a distinction that allows Democritus to be given credit for a theory that would go on to
become a staple of the modern scientific tradition.

Democritus, by Hendrik ter Brugghen – Heraclitus, 1628. Credit: rijksmuseum.nl

Birth and Early Life:

The precise date and location of Democritus birth is the subject the debate. While most sources claim he
was born in Abdera, located in the northern Greek province of Thrace, around 460 BCE. However, other
sources claim he was born in Miletus, a coastal city of ancient Anatolia and modern-day Turkey, and that
he was born in 490 BCE.

It has been said that Democritus’ father was from a noble family and so wealthy that he received the
Persian king Xerxes on the latter’s march through Abdera during the Second Persian War (480–479 BC). It
is further argued that as a reward for his service, the Persian monarch gave his father and other
Abderites gifts, and left several Magi among them. Democritus was apparently instructed by these Magi
in astronomy and theology.
After his father had died, Democritus used his inheritance to finance a series of travels to distant
countries. Desiring to feed his thirst for knowledge, Democritus traveled extensively across the known
world, traveling to Asia, Egypt and (according to some sources) venturing as far as India and Ethiopia. His
writings include descriptions of the the cities of Babylon and Meroe (in modern-day Sudan).

Upon returning to his native land, he occupied himself with the study of natural philosophy. He also
traveled throughout Greece to acquire a better knowledge of its cultures and learned from many of
Greece’s famous philosophers. His wealth allowed him to purchase their writings, and he wrote of them
in his own works. In time, he would become one of the most famous of the pre-Socratic philosophers.

The ruins of the ancient Greek city of Abdera, with the west gate shown. Credit: Wikipedia
Commons/Marysas

Leucippus of Miletus had the greatest influence on him, becoming his mentor and sharing his theory of
atomism with him. Democritus is also said to have known Anaxagoras, Hippocrates and even Socrates
himself (though this remains unproven). During his time in Egypt, he learned from Egyptian
mathematicians, and is said to have become acquainted with the Chaldean magi in Assyria.

In the tradition of the atomists, Democritus was a thoroughgoing materialists who viewed the world in
terms of natural laws and causes. This differentiated him from other Greek philosophers like Plato and
Aristotle, for whom philosophy was more teleological in nature – i.e. more concerned with the purpose
of events rather than the causes, as well things like essence, the soul, and final causes.

According to the many descriptions and anecdotes about Democritus, he was known for his modesty,
simplicity, and commitment to his studies. One story claims he blinded himself on purpose in order to be
less distracted by worldly affairs (which is believed to be apocryphal). He was also known for his sense of
humor and is commonly referred to as the “Laughing Philosopher” – for his capacity to laugh at human
folly. To his fellow citizens, he was also known as “The Mocker”.

Scientific Contributions:

Democritus is renowned for being a pioneer of mathematics and geometry. He was among the first
Greek philosophers to observe that a cone or pyramid has one-third the volume of a cylinder or prism
with the same base and height. While none of his works on the subject survived the Middle Ages, his
mathematical proofs are derived from other works with contain extensive citations to titles like On
Numbers, On Geometrics,
Ancient Atomic Theory

picture of DemocritusOne of the first atomic theorists was Democritus, a Greek philosopher who lived in
the fifth century BC. Democritus knew that if a stone was divided in half, the two halves would have
essentially the same properties as the whole.Therefore, he reasoned that if the stone were to be
continually cut into smaller and smaller pieces then; at some point, there would be a piece which would
be so small as to be indivisible. He called these small pieces of matter "atomos," the Greek word for
indivisible. Democritus, theorized that atoms were specific to the material which they composed. In
addition, Democritus believed that the atoms differed in size and shape, were in constant motion in a
void, collided with each other; and during these collisions, could rebound or stick together. Therefore,
changes in matter were a result of dissociations or combinations of the atoms as they moved throughout
the void. Although Democritus' theory was remarkable, it was rejected by Aristotle, one of the most
influential philosophers of Ancient Greece; and the atomic theory was ignored for nearly 2,000 years.

Democritus was born in Abdera, Thrace,[4] around 460 BC, although there are disagreements about the
exact year. His exact contributions are difficult to disentangle from those of his mentor Leucippus, as
they are often mentioned together in texts. Their speculation on atoms, taken from Leucippus, bears a
passing and partial resemblance to the 19th-century understanding of atomic structure that has led
some to regard Democritus as more of a scientist than other Greek philosophers; however, their ideas
rested on very different bases.[5] Largely ignored in ancient Athens, Democritus is said to have been
disliked so much by Plato that the latter wished all of his books burned.[6] He was nevertheless well
known to his fellow northern-born philosopher Aristotle. Many consider Democritus to be the "father of
modern science".[7] None of his writings have survived; only fragments are known from his vast body of
work.[8]