The Atomic Theory Of Lucretius Contrasted With Modern Doctrines Of Atoms And Evolution

Excerpt from The Atomic Theory of Lucretius: Contrasted With Modern Doctrines of Atoms and Evolution It is strange that the Greek atomic theory, of which Lucretius is the sole exponent, has not, long before this, been set in a clear and detailed form before the English reader. In Professor Veitch's little book ('Lucretius and the Atomic Theory,' 1875), only fifteen pages (pp. 10-25) deal with Lucretius's theory of atoms, and that only in a general way, while the rest of the volume is occupied with a very able criticism of modern Materialism. The scope of Professor Sellar's work does not allow him to enter at all minutely into the science of Lucretius, though his chapter on the connecting links between Lucretius's science and his poetry is most valuable. Zeller has indeed given us in his 'Pre-Socratic Philosophy' an admirable sketch of the system of Democritus, but his account of the later development of the atomic theory in the hands of Epicurus is by no means equally complete. Lange's short chapters on Democritus, Epicurus, and Lucretius in his 'History of Materialism' contain acute enough criticism, though in Ins statement of facts Lange is by no means so trustworthy as Zeller. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from The Atomic Theory of Lucretius: Contrasted With Modern Doctrines of Atoms and Evolution In modern scientific thought we find a parallel which helps us to realize how Lucretius's atomic theory taught him to regard Nature, and how his conception of Matter developed into a naive theory of Evolution. Recent inquiry and Specula tion regarding the process of Evolution, the. Origin of Life and the potency of Matter, as illustrated by Tyndall's famous Presidential address, will enable us to realize more clearly, by comparison, what Lucretius's actual belief on these points was. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.