Born: fl 5th c. BC Birthplace: Miletus, Greece Died: fl. 5th c.
BC Cause of death: unspecified Race or Ethnicity: White
Nationality: Ancient Greece Executive summary: Father of Atomism
Greek philosopher, born at Miletus (or Elea), founder of the
Atomistic theory, contemporary of Zeno, Empedocles and
Anaxagoras. His fame was so completely overshadowed by that of
fellow Atomist Democritus, who subsequently developed the theory
into a system, that his very existence was denied by Epicurus
(Diog. Laërt. x.7), followed in modern times by E. Rohde.
Epicurus, however, distinguishes Leucippus from Democritus, and
Aristotle and Theophrastus expressly credit him with the
invention of Atomism. There seems, therefore, no reason to doubt
his existence, although nothing is known of his life, and even
his birthplace is uncertain. Between Leucippus and Democritus
there is an interval of at least forty years; accordingly, while
the beginnings of Atomism are closely connected with the
doctrines of the Eleatics, the system as d