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Work #1057 · Mature

Letter to Herodotus

Epicurus
c. 300 BC · Classical Greek
Philosophical letter · Hellenistic philosophy / Epicureanism

Epicurus's short summary of his natural philosophy — atoms, void, infinite worlds

Attribute Fingerprint

Rows where works disagree are highlighted in gold. The full ontology grid is shown.

Attribute Letter to Herodotus (Mature)
Time · Extent Infinite
Time · Ontological Status Substantival
Time · Grain Continuous
Time · Freedom Non-Deterministic
Time · Traversability Linear
Time · Dimensionality One
Time · Direction Uni-directional
Space · Extent Infinite
Space · Ontological Status Substantival
Space · Curvature Flat
Space · Dimensionality Three
Space · Locality Local
Matter · Extent Infinite
Matter · Ontological Status Substantival
Matter · Conservation Conserved
Matter · Dimensionality Three
Matter · Locality Local
Observer · Time Instance Single
Observer · Space Instance Single
Observer · Knowledge Extent Partial
Observer · Knowledge Retainment Total
Observer · Physicality Embodied
Observer · Agency Active
Observer · Number Plural
Observer · Metaphysical Agency None
Observer · Moral Authority Reason
Observer · Theological Method —
Energy · Extent Infinite
Energy · Ontological Status Substantival
Energy · Conservation Conserved
Energy · Dispersibility Irreversible
Information · Ontological Status Substantival
Information · Cosmic Conservation Conserved
Information · Personal Conservation Non-conserved
Information · Granularity Discrete

Dimension-by-Dimension Evidence

What each work's passages reveal about its stance on each of the six dimensions.

⧖

Time

Letter to Herodotus

Infinite time of atomist universe.

✦

Space

Letter to Herodotus

Infinite void containing atoms.

◉

Matter

Letter to Herodotus

Atoms as the only substantial reality.

◎

Observer

Letter to Herodotus

Empirical-sensory knower.

⚡

Energy

Letter to Herodotus

Kinetic energy of atomic motion.

⧉

Information

Letter to Herodotus

Discrete atomic configurations.

Internal Tensions

Where each work's argument pulls against itself.

Letter to Herodotus

Profoundly influenced the seventeenth-century atomist revival (Gassendi, Boyle).