Atomic motion
From Epicurus Wiki
Atomic motion is perpetual motion, according to Epicureanism. Atoms are forever moving through the void at an extremely fast but fixed speed -- described "as fast as thought." Atoms can only be impeded by other atoms, which deflect or confine their motions, but without ever slowing them down. This much was perhaps held in common with the atomism of Democritus, but Epicurus was also influenced by Aristotelean critcisms of Democritean atomism, and consequently introduced two innovations in response to Aristotle's challenges:
- A tendency for atoms to move downwards.
- A tendency for atoms to deviate from their downward course at uncertain times and places (the atomic swerve).
The former assertion necessitates that latter. For if downward motion, it was argued, occured along parallel courses, the atoms would have no occasion to meet and combine to form compounds and the complexity of existence. But compound bodies most certainly do exist, because our trustworthy senses tell us that they do, therefore atomic motion is not parallel, but "swerves" somehow, with the result that atoms do coalesce into larger, more complex entities. The absence of the atomic swerve in the extant writings of Epicurus may suggest that it was a late product of Epicurus' philosophizing and/or that it was more developed by Epicureans who lived after Epicurus.
