Historical Ideas about the Nature of Matter-Brady timeline

Empedocles was a Greek pre-Socratic philosopher who lived in Agrigentum. He is best known for being the originator of the theory that there are four classical elements. He also had the idea of powers called Love and Strife which would bring out the mixture in an element.Empedocles also tried to explain how the earth, sea and sun were formed and also the moon.

Democritus who was born in Thrace lived from 470 to 380BC. Democritus had the idea that all matter was made up of tiny particles these particles were so small you couldn't break them down any further.Democritus Inevnted the term Atomos which means invisible. Democritus thought that all substances or objects had there own kinds of atoms some examples are water atoms that he thought were smooth because water flowed and also fire which was thorny because when you touched it it would burn you.

Aristotle who lived from 384 to 322 BC.He's known for founding the famous school of philosophy in Athens. Aristotles school taught that Empedocles theory on the nature and matter was right and he completely rejected Democritus theory. This was the theory that was accepted up until the scientific re ovulation in the 16th and 17th century when they began to relize that Democrituses theory was the right one on the nature of matter and accepted it.

Alchemists date back to around 250BC are people who perform alchemy which is a process where they aim to purify, mature and perfect existing objects. The people who performed alchemy were aiming to create subtances that could cure any disease or give you eternal life.