Void and spatiality in Epicurus’ letter to Herodotus

Thesis

This thesis analyses the notion of void (to kenon) in Epicurus’ Letter to Herodotus: I argue that void should not be identified with space, but only with the empty intervals between bodies.

The thesis is composed by four chapters. In Chapter 1, I maintain that the Epicurean void is meant to fulfil two different functions (that I call the ‘elemental’ and the ‘spatial’ functions): I discuss the historical roots of the attribution of these functions to the void, and suggest how they could be brought together in a unitary, hybrid conception.

In Chapter 2, I examine how void, interpreted in this way, could make motion possible. I focus on the eixis of void, which I do not interpret in terms of receptivity, and draw a comparison with a contemporary metaphysical theory of holes to show that the resulting conception is coherent.

In Chapter 3, I discuss the theory of the minimae partes in the atom, offering an original interpretation of the notions of 'part' and 'division' on which the theory relies.

In Chapter 4, I analyse the consequences of this theory for the structure of void. I argue that the theory of minima naturally leads to suppose that motion is quantized: because of the Isomorphism Thesis, also time and spatial magnitudes must be composed by minima. However, I conclude that void in itself has not a granular structure, but is affected by the quantization only in a very peculiar and restricted sense.

Authors: Martini, C

• Type of award: BPhil
• Level of award: Bachelors
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English
• Keywords: Epicurus; Space; Void
• Subjects: Philosophy