Atomic Pioneers ----- From Ancient Greece to the 19th Century

Chapter - 3

EMPEDOCLES

Empedocles (im-ped-oh-kleez) is known not only as a philosopher but also as a poet, physicist, social reformer, mystic, and physician. He was born at about 490 B.C. at Agrigentum, Sicily. He died about 430 B.C., possibly at Mount Etna.

Biological Details

Empedocles' birthplace was one of the most beautiful cities of the ancient world. When the Pythagoreans were driven out of Croton, they found refuge in Agrigentum. Empedocles was certainly inspired by the ferment of ideas and Greek culture in his hometown.

As a physician, Empedocles made many medical discoveries. He found tat the marshy lands around his native city were unhealthy, and he sought to drain them, sometimes using his own funds to do so. 

He spent his life traveling from town to town, singing his poetry, "purifying" the souls of men and healing their bodies.

It is said that he died by jumping into the volcanic crater of Mount Etna, thinking that he would be taken up to heaven and made into a god. 

Scientific Achievement

Like Pythagoras, Empedocles felt that matter was composed of four-element: fire, air, water, and earth.

But he suggested that there were two moving forces that made elements combine or separate into different substances. The combining force was love. The separating force was hate. These two forces, operating on the four elements made possible all the combinations of matter.

Contribution to Atomic Science

Empedocles provided one further step towards an atomic theory. Aristotle (air-ris-ta-tell) improved his idea of four elements uniting in different proportions to explain all substances known to man, and it remained essentially the basis of chemical theory for over 2000 years.