Nothing Exists but Atoms

The first principles of the universe are atoms and empty space. Everything else is merely thought to exist. The worlds are unlimited. They come into being and perish. Nothing can come into being from that which is not nor pass away into that which is not. Further, the atoms are unlimited in size and number, and they are borne along in the whole universe in a vortex, and thereby generate all composite things—-fire, water, air, earth. For even these are conglomerations of given atoms. And it is because of their solidarity that these atoms are impassive and unalterable. The sun and the moon have been composed of such smooth and spherical masses [i.e. atoms], and so also the soul, which is identical with reason.

Notes:

Everything else is "merely thought to exist."

Folksonomies: reductionism

Taxonomies:
/science/phyiscs/atomic physics (0.669442)
/law, govt and politics (0.451159)
/science/weather/meteorological disaster/flood (0.344433)

Keywords:
atoms (0.965081 (negative:-0.163797)), spherical masses (0.756073 (neutral:0.000000)), composite things—-fire (0.728032 (positive:0.260656)), universe (0.612473 (negative:-0.196365)), solidarity (0.568929 (positive:0.620490)), worlds (0.567665 (positive:0.462251)), vortex (0.567162 (positive:0.415107)), reason (0.560150 (neutral:0.000000)), principles (0.556959 (negative:-0.611472)), space (0.556641 (negative:-0.611472)), conglomerations (0.552283 (neutral:0.000000)), size (0.551417 (positive:0.274860)), number (0.551343 (positive:0.274860)), water (0.550522 (neutral:0.000000)), air (0.550447 (neutral:0.000000)), earth (0.550373 (neutral:0.000000)), sun (0.550305 (neutral:0.000000)), moon (0.550191 (neutral:0.000000))

Concepts:
Universe (0.980416): dbpedia | freebase
Earth (0.898886): dbpedia | freebase
Solar System (0.659615): dbpedia | freebase | opencyc
Babylonian astronomy (0.655114): dbpedia | freebase
Avicenna (0.627243): dbpedia | freebase | yago
Sun (0.589535): dbpedia | freebase | opencyc
Moon (0.582206): dbpedia | freebase
Physics in medieval Islam (0.532005): dbpedia | freebase

 Nothing exists except atoms and empty space; everything else is opinion
Books, Brochures, and Chapters>Book:  Democritus, Democritus of Abdera (1901), Nothing exists except atoms and empty space; everything else is opinion, The lives and opinions of eminent philosophers, Retrieved on 2012-04-23
  • Source Material [books.google.com]
  • Folksonomies: philosophy