image by Physics UMD EDU “Atomos” - quite possibly the best guess in the history of all science. In the 5th Century BC Greek philosophers, Leucippus and Democritus brought Greek Philosophy to its golden age. 180 years before, Thales asked what the true nature of matter was, and it wasn’t until then that Lecuippus and Democritus’ work culminated in their answer: atomos (atoms). While Lecuippus was a mystery figure that some deny even existed, Democritus was far more solid and was featured on an old 100 Drachma note in Greece for discovery. The atomists of old have been proved right using todays modern technology, and were far closer than any other guess or deduction in the centuries between. While atomos means indivisible, which isn’t quite true when used in relations to atoms, as more modern theories such as quantum mechanics or string theory hypothesise that smaller building blocks do exist. This, however, would not seem to lessen their discovery or make it any less amazing for their time. As is the way with many new and odd theories, Democritus got a lot of stick of his theory, as the people liked to stick to their old ways, the Gods of Olympus and felt uncomfortable thinking that everything in the world is merely an interaction between atoms. After Democritus, Ancient Greek philosophy turned away from the sciences and towards politics and ethics, thus making Leucippus and Democritus the last in the line of true natural philosophers.

image by Physics UMD EDU

“Atomos” - quite possibly the best guess in the history of all science.

In the 5th Century BC Greek philosophers, Leucippus and Democritus brought Greek Philosophy to its golden age. 180 years before, Thales asked what the true nature of matter was, and it wasn’t until then that Lecuippus and Democritus’ work culminated in their answer: atomos (atoms).

While Lecuippus was a mystery figure that some deny even existed, Democritus was far more solid and was featured on an old 100 Drachma note in Greece for discovery. The atomists of old have been proved right using todays modern technology, and were far closer than any other guess or deduction in the centuries between.

While atomos means indivisible, which isn’t quite true when used in relations to atoms, as more modern theories such as quantum mechanics or string theory hypothesise that smaller building blocks do exist. This, however, would not seem to lessen their discovery or make it any less amazing for their time.

As is the way with many new and odd theories, Democritus got a lot of stick of his theory, as the people liked to stick to their old ways, the Gods of Olympus and felt uncomfortable thinking that everything in the world is merely an interaction between atoms.

After Democritus, Ancient Greek philosophy turned away from the sciences and towards politics and ethics, thus making Leucippus and Democritus the last in the line of true natural philosophers.