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ATOM IN MODERN SCIENCE
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experiments The idea that one could single out some events from nature by an experiment, in order to study the details and to find out what is the constant law in the continuous change, did not occur to the Greek philosophers Therefore, modern science has from its very beginning stood upon a much more modest, but at the same time firmer, basis than the ancient philosophy Therefore, the statements of modern physics are in some way meant far more seriously than the statement of Greek philosophy When Plato says, for instance that the smallest particles of fire are tetrahedrons, it is not quite easy to comprehend what he really means ATOM IN GREEK PHILOSOPHY
The idea of the smallest indivisible ultimate building blocks of matter first came up in connection with elaboration of the concepts of Matter, Being and Becoming which characterised the first epoch of Greek philosophy The fundamental question was 'what is the material cause of all things?' Simultaneously, there was a demand that this question be answered in conformity with reason, without resort to myths, mysticism or superstition
Greek philosophy and science which were not onginally separate were born together at the beginning of the sixth century BC, with the first of the Milesian philosopher, Thales He took his view primarily from meteorological considerations and held that "WATER" is the material cause of all things"
Of all things, we know, WATER can take the most diverse shapes, it can take the form of ice and snow, it can change itself into vapour and can form clouds It seems to turn into earth where the rivers form their delta, and it can spring from the earth And to add to all this, wateristhe condition-a must for life to exist
