Book 1: Chapter 9, Atomists Summary and Analysis

There were two founders of atomism, Leucippus and Democritus. Leucippus lived around 440 BC and was born in Miletus from where he derived the scientific and rationalist views particular to that city. He was influenced by Parmenides and Zeno, but little is known of him. Democritus was born in Abdera in Thrace at around 432 BC and prospered around 420 BC. He traveled extensively, including Egypt and Persia and returned to Abdera. He was claimed by Zeller to be most knowledgeable and acute in his thinking. He lived in times of Socrates and the Sophists, but his philosophies address the famous Sophist, Protagoras.

Leucipius and Democritus claimed that all things were made of atoms that cannot be divided physically although they can be divided geometrically and they have empty space between them. They were indestructible, infinite in number as well...