Democritean atomism
The dissertation concerns the basic tenets of Democritean Atomism: the indivisibility of the atoms, their infinite variety of shape and size and their material similarity. The first chapter is a discussion of the methodology adopted throughout the dissertation. In the first part of the thesis (Chapters 2-6) the Democritean Theory is presented as a reaction to Eleatic Monism, and Aristotle's account of the origins of Atomism in <i>de Generatione et Corruptione</i> 1.8 and 1.2 is discussed. The indivisibility of each atom is shown to be grounded in its homogeneity or solidity. Notions of physical indivisibility, theoretical indivisibility and partlessness are argued to be exegetically unhelpful in discussion of Democritean Atomism. The argument whereby the atoms are shown to be indivisible is identified as an <i>Ou Mallon</i> argument, and the same form of argument is seen to generate the infinite variety of atomic shape and size. In the second part (Chapters 7-10) the extent to which the Democritean arguments are defensible is discussed. The <i>Ou Mallon</i> argument form is clarified, and the conditions under which an <i>Ou Mallon</i> argument is defensible are described. Democritus' arguments for the infinite
Makin, Stephen Andrew Roger
Greek philosophy
Democritean atomism. The dissertation concerns the basic tenets of Democritean Atomism: the indivisibility of the atoms, their infinite variety of shape and size and their material similarity. The first chapter is a discussion of the methodology adopted throughout the dissertation. In the first part of the thesis (Chapters 2-6) the Democritean Theory is presented as a reaction to Eleatic Monism, and Aristotle's account of the origins of Atomism in <i>de Generatione et Corruptione</i> 1.8 and 1.2 is discussed. The indivisibility of each atom is shown to be grounded in its homogeneity or solidity. Notions of physical indivisibility, theoretical indivisibility and partlessness are argued to be exegetically unhelpful in discussion of Democritean Atomism. The argument whereby the atoms are shown to be indivisible is identified as an <i>Ou Mallon</i> argument, and the same form of argument is seen to generate the infinite variety of atomic shape and size. In the second part (Chapters 7-10) the extent to which the Democritean arguments are defensible is discussed. The <i>Ou Mallon</i> argument form is clarified, and the conditions under which an <i>Ou Mallon</i> argument is defensible are described. Democritus' arguments for the infinite
atomism concern basic tenet atomism atom infinite variety shape_size material similarity first discussion adopt_throughout dissertation first_part theory present reaction monism aristotle_account origins atomism discuss atom show grounded homogeneity physical theoretical argue unhelpful discussion atomism argument whereby atom show identify argument form argument see generate infinite variety atomic shape_size second_part extent argument defensible discuss argument form clarify condition argument defensible described argument infinite