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How does Lucretiusâs poem explain Epicurean atomism?
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Epicureanism
Epicurus, bronze bust from a Greek original, c. 280â270 bce; in the Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Naples.
In his didactic poem De rerum natura (On the Nature of Things), Lucretius provides the most comprehensive account of Epicurean atomism. He argues that the universe consists of an infinite expanse of empty space (void) and an infinite number of irreducible, changeless particles of matter known as atoms.1
Key aspects of his explanation include:
- Atomic Properties: Atoms are impenetrably hard and vary only in shape, size, and weight. They are the ultimate limit of physical division, composed of inseparable minimal units.1
- The Swerve: Lucretius posits that atoms move downward through the void. To explain how they collide to form systems and to account for free will, he introduces the concept of the "swerve"âan indeterminate, minimal deviation in their path that interrupts the causal chain.1
- Systems and Change: All physical objects are systems of moving atoms separated by void. Change is explained as the rearrangement, addition, or subtraction of these atoms. Because all systems are divisible, they are perishable.1
- Soul and Gods: The soul is described as being composed of exceedingly fine atoms that dissipate upon death. Similarly, the gods are viewed as atomic systems living remotely, unconcerned with human affairs.1