Both Democritus and Anaxagoras suggested that explanations could be found in the nature of the matter out of which things are made. These explanations would theoretically be available, if we were in a position to calculate exactly what the structure of the material is really like. But neither thought that the explanation could be completed in practice. The limit of comprehension is due not just to their lack of electron microscopes or other instruments for detecting very small particles; for even if we saw to a level below that visible to the naked eye, the need for explanation would not come to an end.


Presocratic Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction (2004) - Ch. 4 : Reality and appearance: more adventures in metaphysics

Catherine Rowett Quotes

Both Democritus and Anaxagoras suggested that explanations could be found in the nature of the matter out of which things are made. These...

Both Democritus and Anaxagoras suggested that explanations could be found in the nature of the matter out of which things are made. These...

Both Democritus and Anaxagoras suggested that explanations could be found in the nature of the matter out of which things are made. These...

Both Democritus and Anaxagoras suggested that explanations could be found in the nature of the matter out of which things are made. These...