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Single Idea 14037

[filed under theme 12. Knowledge Sources / B. Perception / 2. Qualities in Perception / c. Primary qualities ]

Full Idea

One must believe that the atoms bring with them none of the qualities of things which appear except shape, weight, and size and the properties which necessarily accompany shape.

Gist of Idea

Atoms only have shape, weight and size, and the properties which accompany shape

Source

Epicurus (Letter to Herodotus [c.293 BCE], 54)

Book Ref

Epicurus: 'The Epicurus Reader', ed/tr. Inwood,B. /Gerson,L. [Hackett 1994], p.10

A Reaction

This appears to be fairly precisely a claim that atoms only have primary qualities, though that terminology only came in in the seventeenth century. I take the view to be more or less correct.

Related Idea

Idea 14035 Atoms just have shape, size and weight; colour results from their arrangement [Epicurus]

The 21 ideas with the same theme [qualities considered independent of observation]:

1728 Many objects of sensation are common to all the senses [Aristotle]
14037 Atoms only have shape, weight and size, and the properties which accompany shape [Epicurus]
16718 Primary qualities are the cause of all the other sensible qualities [Albertus Magnus]
16719 The primary qualities are mixed to cause secondary qualities [Burley]
6490 For Descartes, objects have one primary quality, which is geometrical [Descartes, by Robinson,H]
6725 Locke believes matter is an inert, senseless substance, with extension, figure and motion [Locke, by Berkeley]
15982 Qualities are named as primary if they are needed for scientific explanation [Locke, by Alexander,P]
12479 Primary qualities produce simple ideas, such as solidity, extension, motion and number [Locke]
12480 Ideas of primary qualities resemble their objects, but those of secondary qualities don't [Locke]
7049 In Locke, the primary qualities are also powers [Locke, by Heil]
3933 Primary qualities (such as shape, solidity, mass) are held to really exist, unlike secondary qualities [Berkeley]
23637 Primary qualities are the object of mathematics [Reid]
5466 Primary qualities are number, figure, size, texture, motion, configuration, impenetrability and (?) mass [Ellis]
22414 You don't need to know how a square thing looks or feels to understand squareness [McGinn]
22423 Touch doesn't provide direct experience of primary qualities, because touch feels temperature [McGinn]
22426 We can perceive objectively, because primary qualities are not mind-created [McGinn]
3901 Touch only seems to reveal primary qualities [Scruton]
6497 We say objects possess no intrinsic secondary qualities because physicists don't need them [Robinson,H]
7299 Primary qualities can be described mathematically, unlike secondary qualities [Cardinal/Hayward/Jones]
7300 An object cannot remain an object without its primary qualities [Cardinal/Hayward/Jones]
19647 The aspects of objects that can be mathematical allow it to have objective properties [Meillassoux]