Ancient Greek Philosophy, Philosophy, The Presocratics, Videos

Introduction to Democritus

The following is a transcript of this video.

In this lecture we look at Democritus, the father of the philosophical doctrine known as atomism. Along with investigating his proposal that the universe is composed of atoms and void, we discuss the influence which atomism had on subsequent thinkers, as well as look at Democritus’ epidemiological and ethical ideas.

Further Resources

Good Places to Start One’s Study of the Presocratics
A History of Greek Philosophy Volume I (1979) – W.K.C Guthrie
A History of Greek Philosophy Volume II (1979) – W.K.C Guthrie
Retrieving the Ancients: An Introduction to Greek Philosophy (2004) – David Roochnik
Presocratics (2007) – James Warren
Greek Philosophers: From Thales to Aristotle (1960) – W.K.C Guthrie

Works on Individual Presocratics
The Art and Thought of Heraclitus (1981) – Charles Kahn
Heraclitus (1999) – Philip Wheelwright
Remembering Heraclitus (2000) – Richard Geldard
Parmenides and the Way of Truth (2007) – Richard Geldard
The Atomists: Leucippus and Democritus (2010) – C.C.W. Taylor

Further Readings