Democritus
The world consists of nothing but tiny indivisible particles moving in empty space – and a calm, cheerful mind is the best life.
Placement
With Leucippus, founder of atomism: there are only atoms and the void.
Key ideas
- Atomism
- Euthymia (cheerfulness)
Influence
Influenced by 2
Parmenides
influenced by
With Leucippus, Democritus granted the Eleatics that nothing comes from nothing but posited void and indivisible atoms, so that plurality and motion become possible again. Aristotle, On Generation and Corruption I.8; SEP “Ancient Atomism”
Evidence: AI draft
Parmenides › c. 515–450 BCE
Zeno of Elea
influenced by
Democritus answered Eleatic arguments like Zeno’s, that infinite division dissolves bodies into nothing, by positing indivisible atoms (Aristotle, On Generation and Corruption I.2). Aristotle, On Generation and Corruption I.2; SEP “Ancient Atomism”; SEP “Zeno of Elea”
Evidence: AI draft
Zeno of Elea › c. 490–430 BCE
Influenced 6
Aristotle
influenced ✓
Aristotle treated Democritus as the earlier physicist who argued most from nature, discussing his atoms and void at length while rejecting both (On Generation and Corruption I.2, I.8). Aristotle, On Generation and Corruption I.2, I.8; Physics IV.6–9; SEP “Democritus”
Evidence: also in Wikidata · Wikidata
Aristotle › 384–322 BCE
Pyrrho of Elis
influenced
Pyrrho studied with the Democritean Anaxarchus, and Philo of Athens said he cited Democritus most; Democritus’ distrust of the senses is a likely source of his scepticism. Diogenes Laertius IX.61, IX.67; Democritus, DK 68 B9, B117; SEP “Pyrrho”
Evidence: also in InPhO · InPhO
Pyrrho of Elis › c. 360–270 BCE
Epicurus
influenced ✓
Epicurus took over Democritus’ atoms and void, giving atoms weight and, by later reports, a swerve, and grounded on them an ethics free of fear of death. Epicurus, Letter to Herodotus; Letter to Menoeceus; Lucretius II.216–293; Cicero, De finibus I.17–21; SEP “Epicurus”
Epicurus › 341–270 BCE
Lucretius
influenced
Through Epicurus Lucretius took up Democritus’ atoms and void, naming him with respect while rejecting his view that soul and body atoms alternate (De rerum natura III.370–395). Lucretius, De rerum natura III.370–395, V.621–636; SEP “Lucretius”
Evidence: AI draft
Lucretius › c. 99–55 BCE
Abu Bakr al-Razi
influenced disputed
Al-Razi taught that bodies consist of indivisible atoms and void; whether his atomism derives from Democritus through Greek sources or from other traditions is disputed. S. Pines, Beiträge zur islamischen Atomenlehre (1936); P. Adamson, Al-Razi (2021)
Evidence: AI draft
Abu Bakr al-Razi › c. 865–925
Francis Bacon
influenced
Bacon praised the school of Democritus for dissecting nature rather than abstracting from it (New Organon, 1620) and discussed his atoms in On Principles and Origins (c. 1612). F. Bacon, Novum Organum (1620); De principiis atque originibus (c. 1612); SEP “Francis Bacon”
Evidence: also in InPhO · InPhO
Francis Bacon › 1561–1626
Position
Democritus answered the Eleatic challenge with a bold model: reality consists of atoms – tiny, indivisible, unchangeable bodies – and the void in which they move. Atoms differ only in shape, arrangement and position; their collisions and combinations produce all things, including countless worlds. Colours, tastes and warmth exist only “by convention”; in truth there are only atoms and void. In ethics he praised cheerfulness (euthymia), a calm and well-balanced state of the soul. Through Epicurus and Lucretius, atomism survived antiquity and returned in the early modern science of Gassendi, Boyle and Newton.
Life & context
Democritus came from Abdera in Thrace and, according to tradition, travelled widely and lived to a great age. He developed atomic theory together with his teacher Leucippus. He was extremely prolific – ancient catalogues list some seventy works on ethics, physics, mathematics and music – but only fragments survive, many of them ethical maxims.
Main works
- The Little World-System (lost, c. 420 BCE)
- On Cheerfulness (lost, c. 420 BCE)
As of November 2026 · Sources · Improve this page · How Agora is made