Ancient philosophy: Democritus. Democritus's atomism and its main points are brief. Democritus and the philosophy of atomism in short

Democritus, whose atomism and biography we will consider, is a well-known Greek philosopher of the times of antiquity. The years of his life - 460-371 BC. E. It was he who first realized that the world has no end and that it is an accumulation of atoms - the smallest particles, of which each grain of sand on our planet consists, and every star in the sky.

Homeland of Democritus, the personal qualities of the philosopher

Democritus was born in Thrace, in the ancient Greek town of Abder. This place in Greece was considered not just a remote province, but even a city of fools. However, the nominal "abderite", translated "fool", "simpleton", "simpleton", became the name of one of the outstanding minds of antiquity, Democritus. From numerous legends and testimonies we learn that Abderith was a "laughing philosopher".

It seemed to him that everything that was being done seriously was not serious. The surviving stories about him testify that Democritus was characterized by deep everyday wisdom, extensive knowledge, observance.

Acquaintance with the achievements of philosophers

Damasippus, his father, was one of the richest townspeople. Therefore, Democritus received a good education for his time. The teachers of the future philosopher were the Persian sages who lived in Abder, when Xerxes, the Persian king, was there. However, the real teacher of Democritus is Leucippus, the head of the local philosophical school. It was thanks to him that he got acquainted with the works of the Greek philosophers Democritus. Its atomism is based on a thorough study of the achievements of its predecessors. The study of the works of Greek philosophers did not stop his education. Democritus, whose atomism will be considered below, wanted to get acquainted with the achievements of world thought, so went on a trip.

The first trip of Democritus

After a while his father died. He left a significant inheritance to his son, and Democritus decided to go on a trip. The philosopher traveled to Babylon, and then to Egypt. Everywhere he met with thinkers, and also got acquainted with Babylonian magicians and Egyptian priests. From this it follows that his outlook was formed under the influence of many cultures of both the ancient and the new world. Democritus took from each of them some elements and created their own philosophical system.

Teaching, basic essays

Returning to Abder, he began to teach philosophy, as well as create his own compositions. Diogenes Laertius later compiled a catalog of the writings of Democritus. It includes the names of more than 70 works. Among them the following works take the main place: "On logic, or Merilo", "Small Diacosmos", "Great Diakosmos". The breadth of the interests of this philosopher is simply amazing. There was no field of knowledge that he would have ignored.

The philosopher Democritus, as we know, enjoyed great fame in his city during his lifetime. In gratitude for his services, the residents of Abdera placed him a bronze statue. In addition, it was said that he was one of the most famous orators of his time. It is known that Democritus was engaged in philology, he created a guide to eloquence.

The Second Journey

After a while he decided to make another trip, this time to Athens. At that time the most famous philosophers of Greece worked here. Diogenes said that Democritus met with Socrates and Anaxagoras. However, they did not share his views. Indeed, the existence of the gods categorically denied Democritus. Its atomism is completely inconsistent with deities in the conventional sense.

"Great Diakosmos"

Returning to his native city, the philosopher created the work "Great Diakosmos". In this work the concept of the device of the world is stated. Democritus believed that all objects consist of atoms, tiny particles. While they were few, they moved freely. Gradually, the atoms began to attract each other, like birds gather in flocks - cranes with cranes, pigeons with pigeons. So the Earth appeared.

Atomism Democritus: the main provisions

Two kinds of properties of phenomena distinguished Democritus. Some - "things in themselves" - image, size, hardness, movement, mass. Other properties of phenomena are associated with various senses of man - smell, sound, brightness, color. According to the philosopher, the movements of atoms can explain everything that happens in our world. This statement builds the atomism of Democritus. Let's briefly describe the main ideas of the philosopher, which follow from this thought.

Democritus believed that the atoms are in constant motion, constantly disconnecting or connecting them. The process of disconnections and connections leads to the disappearance and appearance of individual objects. As a result of their interaction, the diversity of the existing one is obtained. Fixed land is the center of the universe. In form, it is a flat cylinder, which is surrounded by air. In this air, various celestial bodies move. The philosopher considered these bodies to be masses of matter that are in a red-hot state and are carried away by a rapid circular motion. They consist of a substance similar to the earth. Atoms of fire permeated all parts of the universe. They are smooth, round and very small. These atoms play an important role - they revitalize the universe. There are a lot of people in them.

Of course, we have characterized Democritus's atomism briefly. Talk about it can be a long time, but we need to talk about the rest of the achievements of this philosopher.

Man in the writings of Democritus

It should be noted that it is man that is the main subject of the ancient Greek philosopher's studies. He argued that the device of our body is very appropriate. The receptacle of thinking is the brain, the reservoir of passions is the heart. However, according to Democritus, the body is only a "vessel of the soul." The philosopher considered the most important duty of each person to care for his spiritual development.

Democritus argued that the changing world of phenomena is a ghostly world. The study of its phenomena can not lead people to true knowledge. Democritus, recognizing the ghostly sensory world, believed, like Heraclitus, that man should maintain peace of mind, whatever the circumstances. He who can distinguish the essential from the accidental, the genuine from the illusory, does not seek happiness in sensual pleasures, but primarily in giving the correct course of his psychic life.

According to Democritus, the goal of our existence is happiness. However, it is not in enjoyment and external benefits, but in the unchanging calmness of the soul, in contentment. This is achieved by the purity of deeds and thoughts, abstinence, mental education. According to Democritus, the happiness of each of us depends on how he behaves. The gods give us only good, only by their own recklessness a person turns it into a bad one. The application to the affairs of private and public life of these thoughts forms the basis of the moral philosophy of Democritus.

Divine forces in the teachings of Democritus

Naturally, the gods had no place in the world, as this thinker represented him. The atomism of Deomkrita rejects the possibility of their existence. The philosopher believed that people themselves invented them, that they are the incarnations of human properties and natural phenomena. Zeus, for example, Democritus identified with the Sun, and Athena, as he believed, - the personification of reason.

According to his teaching, divine powers are the forces of human reason and nature. And deities created by religion, or ghosts personifying people's ideas about the forces of nature, or spirits ("demons"), are mortal beings.

Mathematical works

This philosopher, as evidenced by ancient sources, has written many mathematical works. Unfortunately, only a few fragments have come down to our time. They contain formulas for the volume of a number of figures, for example, the pyramids and cones derived by them.

Social problems considered by Democritus

He also thought a lot about the social problems of Democritus. And the philosophy of atomism, summarized above, and his other ideas were subsequently taken up by many thinkers. For example, the best form of state structure, according to this philosopher, is the state-policy. Democritus saw the goal of a person's life in achieving euthymy - a special state in which people do not experience passions and are not afraid of anything.

The diverse interests of Democritus

The consistency of conclusions, the insight of the mind, the vastness of knowledge, Democritus surpassed almost all philosophers, both former and his contemporaries. His activities were very versatile. He created treatises on natural science, mathematics, aesthetics, natural sciences, technical arts, grammar.

Influence on other thinkers

Democritus and the philosophy of atomism in particular greatly influenced the development of natural science. About this influence we have only vague information, since many of his works were lost. However, we can assume that as a naturalist Democritus was the greatest of Aristotle's predecessors. The latter was very much indebted to him and spoke of his works with deep respect.

As we have already said, many works of the thinker were lost afterwards, we know of them only from the writings of other philosophers who shared or challenged his views. It is known that the ancient atomism of Democritus and the views of this philosopher strongly influenced Titus Lucretia Kara. In addition, Leibniz and Galileo Galilei, who are considered the founders of the new concept of the earthly system, relied on his works. Moreover, the creator of atomic physics Niels Bohr once observed that the structure of the atom, proposed by him, entirely follows from the works of the ancient philosopher. The theory of atomism Democritus, thus, much survived its creator.