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490 BCE
Empedocles
Empedocles lived c. 490 BC – c 430 BC.
It is difficult, as with many ancient philosophers, to pinpoint exact dates of significant works. Empedocles is known for many lasting and influential theories. He was formally educated by the Pythagoreans, but most likely did not meet Pythagoras because he was probably born after Pythagoras died. He was born in Akragas on the island of Sicily. -
470 BCE
Essential elements
The elements he believed all substances are made of are air, water, fire, and earth. This remained a popular belief for over two thousand years. He thought an underlying force functioned within the universe to hold all matter together. He called this force love. An opposite force called strife existed to work against love. This theory was further popularized by Aristotle nearly 100 years later. -
468 BCE
Natural selection
Empedocles described his theory of natural selection in his poem On Nature. “… he pictured Earth in its early days populated by bizarre creatures, cattle with human heads, arms without shoulders, and all sorts of other monstrous creatures. These strange lifeforms became extinct, Empedocles said, leaving the creatures we now see” (Famousscientists.org). He was the first person we know of to propose a theory of natural selection. -
460 BCE
Mass conservation
Based on his four elements theory came an idea about mass conservation, predating Antoine Lavoisier’s mass conservation law. From various combinations of the four elements all things are formed.
