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(341–271 bc ) Greek philosopher and founder of the Epicurean school. Epicurus adopts many key metaphysical doctrines from the atomic theory of Democritus (mid-to late fifth century bc ), but he attempts to eliminate from atomism its tendencies toward reductionism ( see reduction, reductionism ), skepticism and determinism . Like Democritus, he holds that reflection on the nature of being and not being shows that the universe consists of unchanging, indivisible material bodies and void. Beginning with the Parmenidean principle that nothing comes into being out of non-being or perishes into non-being. Epicurus argues that the totality of what exists can never vary, since something existent can neither perish into the nonexistent nor be generated from it. If, moreover, only things that are spatially extended can exist, and only tangible things are spatially extended, what exists must be tangible – hence a material body. That motion and change exist, he believes, is a self-evident empirical fact that demonstrates the existence of void: bodies can move only if there is something intangible or void which allows them passage by giving way and offering no resistance. Epicureans sometimes speak of void as either place or unoccupied space, which some have thought to be a confusion. But the confusion is only apparent. A ristotle had argued that Democritean atomism treats void as a ... log in or subscribe to read full text