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Atomism, ancient

DOI
10.4324/9780415249126-A024-1
DOI: 10.4324/9780415249126-A024-1
Version: v1,  Published online: 1998
Retrieved March 19, 2024, from https://www.rep.routledge.com/articles/thematic/atomism-ancient/v-1

Article Summary

Ancient Greek atomism, starting with Leucippus and Democritus in the fifth century bc, arose as a response to problems of the continuum raised by Eleatic philosophers. In time a distinction emerged, especially in Epicurean atomism (early third century bc), between physically indivisible particles called ‘atoms’ and absolutely indivisible or ‘partless’ magnitudes.

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Citing this article:
Sedley, David. Atomism, ancient, 1998, doi:10.4324/9780415249126-A024-1. Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Taylor and Francis, https://www.rep.routledge.com/articles/thematic/atomism-ancient/v-1.
Copyright © 1998-2024 Routledge.

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