Democritus
Democritus | |
|---|---|
A philosopher, possibly Democritus. Casting of bust of the Villa of the Papyri. | |
| Born | c. 460 BC |
| Died | c. 370 BC (aged approximately 90) |
| Philosophical work | |
| Era | Pre-Socratic philosophy |
| Region | Western philosophy |
| School | Atomism |
| Main interests | |
| Notable ideas | |
Democritus (/dɪˈmɒkrɪtəs/, dim-OCK-rit-əs; Greek: Δημόκριτος, Dēmókritos, meaning "chosen of the people"; c. 460 – c. 370 BC) was an Ancient Greek pre-Socratic philosopher from Abdera, primarily remembered today for his formulation of an atomic theory of the universe. Democritus wrote extensively on a wide variety of topics.
None of Democritus' original work has survived, except through second-hand references. Many of these references come from Aristotle, who viewed him as an important rival in the field of natural philosophy. He was known in antiquity as the ‘laughing philosopher’ because of his emphasis on the value of cheerfulness.