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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).