原子論(英語:Atomism,來自古希臘語atomos,含義為“不可分割”),是在一些古代傳統中發展出的一種自然哲學。原子論者將自然世界理論化為由兩基本部分所構成:不可分割的原子和空無的虛空(void)。

簡介

依據亞里士多德引述的原子論觀點,原子是不可構造的和永恆不變的,並且形狀和大小有無窮的變化。它們在空無(empty)中移動,相互碰離,有時變成與一個或多個其他原子相鉤結而形成聚簇(cluster)。不同形狀、排列和位置的聚簇引起世界上各種宏觀物質(substance)。[1][2]

德谟克利特和留基伯

德谟克利特留基伯声称,真空或虚空(void or empty space)将原子分散开来,使其能够自由运动。当原子运动时,它们可能会相互碰撞并形成新的排列方式,从而导致物质发生变化。两位思想家认为这些永恒的原子数量是无限的,但可以组合成不同结构的数量是有限的。[3]这解释了为什么不同物质存在固定的量。例如,在我们死后,构成身体的原子并不会腐烂消失,而是分散并重新组合。德谟克利特和留基伯提出了完整且机械论性质的宇宙观,并没有依赖于神或众神概念。他们还揭示了物质的基本属性,这对于物理科学的发展尤其重要,在17世纪至20世纪之间彻底改变了科学界对于原子理论。[4][5][6]

溯源

對原子概念的記述可以上溯到古希臘古印度。在西方,對原子的記述出現在公元前5世紀留基伯德謨克利特的著作中[7]。有人將印度耆那教[8][9]的原子論認定為開創者大雄在公元前6世紀提出,並將與其同時代六師外道正命論英语Ājīvika順世派先驅的元素思想也稱為原子論[10]。對於印度文化影響希臘還是反之,亦或二者獨立演化迄今仍存在爭議。[11]

在古印度哲學中,正理派勝論派後來發展出了原子如何組合成更複雜物體的理論。[12]佛教中,在對應於元素論四界學說基礎上,发展出了對應原子論的極微學說,後來進一步演繹出成規模體系的色聚理論。

註解

  1. ^ Aristotle, Metaphysics I, 4, 985b 10–15.
  2. ^ Berryman, Sylvia, "Ancient Atomism", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2008 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2008/entries/atomism-ancient/页面存档备份,存于互联网档案馆
  3. ^ Gomes, Gustavo Laet. The elementary role of the so-called differences in the atomism of Leucippus and Democritus. Prometheus - Journal of Philosophy. 2019-04-20, 11 (29). ISSN 2176-5960. doi:10.52052/issn.2176-5960.pro.v11i29.9101. 
  4. ^ Godfrey, Raymond. Democritus and the Impossibility of Collision. Philosophy. 1990-04, 65 (252). ISSN 0031-8191. doi:10.1017/s0031819100064494. 
  5. ^ Agostini, Cristina de Souza; Silveira, Isabel Porto da; Polla, Cauê Cardoso. Scientific Evolution of Philosophical Concepts of the Origins of Universe and Life. Revista Archai. 2021-12-10, (31). ISSN 1984-249X. doi:10.14195/1984-249x_31_16. 
  6. ^ Bury, R. G. The Origin of Atomism. The Classical Review. 1916-02, 30 (1). ISSN 0009-840X. doi:10.1017/s0009840x0000946x. 
  7. ^ The atomists, Leucippus and Democritus: fragments, a text and translation with a commentary by C.C.W. Taylor, University of Toronto Press Incorporated 1999, ISBN 0-8020-4390-9, pp. 157-158.
  8. ^ Gangopadhyaya, Mrinalkanti. Indian Atomism: History and Sources. Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey: Humanities Press. 1981. ISBN 0-391-02177-X. OCLC 10916778. 
  9. ^ Iannone, A. Pablo. Dictionary of World Philosophy. Routledge. 2001: 83,356 [2011-12-14]. ISBN 0415179955. OCLC 44541769. (原始内容存档于2020-07-26). 
  10. ^ Thomas McEvilley, The Shape of Ancient Thought: Comparative Studies in Greek and Indian Philosophies ISBN 1-58115-203-5, Allwarth Press, 2002, p. 317-321.
  11. ^ Teresi, Dick. Lost Discoveries: The Ancient Roots of Modern Science. Simon & Schuster. 2003: 213–214. ISBN 074324379X. 
  12. ^ Richard King, Indian philosophy: an introduction to Hindu and Buddhist thought, , Edinburgh University Press, 1999, ISBN 0-7486-0954-7, pp. 105-107.

參考書目

  • Clericuzio, Antonio. Elements, Principles, and Corpuscles; a study of atomism and chemistry in the seventeenth century. Dordrecht; Boston: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2000.
  • Cornford, Francis MacDonald. Plato's Cosmology: The Timaeus of Plato. New York: Liberal Arts Press, 1957.
  • Dijksterhuis, E. The Mechanization of the World Picture. Trans. by C. Dikshoorn. New York: Oxford University Press, 1969. ISBN 0-691-02396-4
  • Firth, Raymond. Religion: A Humanist Interpretation. Routledge, 1996. ISBN 0-415-12897-8.
  • Gangopadhyaya, Mrinalkanti. Indian Atomism: history and sources. Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey: Humanities Press, 1981. ISBN 0-391-02177-X
  • Gardet, L. "djuz'" in Encyclopaedia of Islam CD-ROM Edition, v. 1.1. Leiden: Brill, 2001.
  • Gregory, Joshua C. A Short History of Atomism. London: A. and C. Black, Ltd, 1981.
  • Kargon, Robert Hugh. Atomism in England from Hariot to Newton. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1966.
  • Lloyd, G. E. R. Aristotle: The Growth and Structure of his Thought. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1968. ISBN 0-521-09456-9
  • Lloyd, G. E. R. Greek Science After Aristotle. New York: W. W. Norton, 1973. ISBN 0-393-00780-4
  • Marmara, Michael E. "Causation in Islamic Thought." Dictionary of the History of Ideas. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1973-74. online at the of Virginia Electronic Text Center页面存档备份,存于互联网档案馆).
  • Redondi, Pietro. Galileo Heretic. Translated by Raymond Rosenthal. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1987. ISBN 0-691-02426-X
  • McEvilley, Thomas (2002). The Shape of Ancient Thought: Comparative Studies in Greek and Indian Philosophies. New York: Allworth Communications Inc. ISBN 1-58115-203-5.

參見

外部連結