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SYNOPSIS
BOOK ONE
Introduction
| 1-49 |
prayer to Venus for inspiration and peace |
|
50-61 |
appeal to Memmius to listen |
|
62-79 |
praise of Epicurus for saving man from superstition |
|
80-101 |
the
impiety of religion |
|
102-35 |
no
punishment after death |
|
136-45 |
difficulty of the task |
Existence of
Atoms
| 146-214 |
nothing can be
made out of nothing |
| 215-64 |
nothing can be
destroyed into nothing, but only broken up into constituent atoms |
| 265-328 |
matter is made
up of invisible particles |
Existence of
Empty Space
| 329-417 |
the universe is
space as well as solid matter |
Everything is
Composed of These Two, Matter and Space
| 418-48 |
there is no
third form of existence |
| 449-82 |
all qualities
are properties and accidents of matter and space |
Atoms Cannot
Be Destroyed (483-634)
Refutation of
False Theories
| 635-704 |
Monists, who
believe that the universe is made up of one substance, such as fire (Heraclitus
) |
| 70 5-829 |
Pluralists, who
think that everything is made up of two or more substances (e.g.,
Empedocles) |
| 830-920 |
Anaxagoras and
his theory that component parts are made up of the same material as
the thing itself |
The Nature of
the Universe
| 921-1007 |
it is infinite
in space |
| 1008-1051 |
and infinite in
matter |
| 1052-1113 |
it has no
centre for all matter to gravitate towards |
Conclusion
| 1114-17 |
encouragement to
the reader |
BOOK TWO
Introduction
| 1-61 |
the wise man
surveys struggling humanity |
Atomic
Movement
| 62-141 |
they are
constantly moving - falling or rebounding |
| 142-66 |
they move faster
than light |
| (167-8 3 |
digression: gods
did not make the world) |
| 184-215 |
atoms usually
move downwards |
| 216-93 |
swerving from
the vertical at times |
| 294-307 |
in a constant
state of congestion |
| 308-32 |
they seem
immobile, but they are not |
Atomic
Character and Shape
| 333-477 |
varieties of
atomic size and shape cause variation in the properties of objects |
| 478-521 |
there is only a
finite number of different atomic shapes |
| 522-68 |
but an infinite
number of atoms of any one shape |
| (569-81 |
digression:
creation balances destruction) |
| 582-699 |
all objects are
compounds of different kinds of atom |
| (589-660 |
digression:
worship of Mother Earth) |
| 700-729 |
number of
possible compounds is finite |
| 730-841 |
atoms have no
color |
| 842-64 |
nor heat, sound,
taste and smell |
| 865-990 |
nor feeling |
| 991-1022 |
father sky,
mother earth; death breaks up all atomic compounds, whose nature is
determined by their atomic structure |
Three General
Statements
| 1023-89 |
there must be an
infinite number of worlds |
| 1090-1104 |
there is no
divine interference in the self-regulated working of nature |
| 1105-74 |
the world had a
beginning and will have an end |
BOOK THREE
Introduction
| 1-30 |
praise of
Epicurus for showing us the truth |
| 31-93 |
fear of death is
the root of evil |
Mind and
Spirit
| 94-135 |
the mind and
soul are part of the body and made of matter: they are not a 'harmony' |
| 136-60 |
the mind in the
breast and the spirit (spread throughout the body) compose one single
substance, but the mind is dominant. |
| 161-76 |
mind-spirit is
corporeal as it interacts with the body |
| 177-230 |
spirit is made
up of very small, light and smooth atoms
|
| 231-322 |
spirit is
compounded of wind, air, heat and a fourth element, combined in
different proportions |
| 323-69 |
life depends on
the unity of body and mind/spirit |
| 370-95 |
the quantity of
spirit in the body is very small |
| 396-416 |
mind controls
spirit |
Mortality of
the Soul
| 417-829 |
arguments to
prove that mind and spirit were born and will die |
Conclusion
| 830-977 |
death is nothing
to us |
| 978-1023 |
demythologizing
of the legends of torments after death |
| 1024-94 |
happiness is
acceptance of mortality |
BOOK FOUR
Introduction
| 1-25 |
the poet and his
poetic and philosophical mission |
Vision
| 26-128 |
object shed
films from their surface |
| 129-42 |
these films can
combine to form compound images |
| 143-229 |
they travel very
fast |
| 230-68 |
vision is caused
by the contact of these films on the eyes |
| 269-323 |
how images are
reflected by mirrors |
| 324-468 |
optical
illusions |
| 469-521 |
refutation of
the Sceptics' mistrust of the senses |
Other Senses
| 5 22-3 |
preface |
| 5 24-614 |
hearing |
| 615-721 |
taste |
| 673-721 |
smell |
Thought and
Volition
|
722-76 |
mental images are flimsier than visual images and only mind atoms are
touched by them |
|
777-822 |
only
those images to which the mind pays special attention are perceived |
|
(823-76 |
digression: refutation of teleological view of the functions of the
body) |
|
877-906 |
volition comes from the impact of mental images |
|
907-1036 |
images act on the mind in sleep |
Sex and Love
| 1037-57 |
images stimulate
the sex organs |
| 1058-1191 |
romantic love
disturbs sanity |
| 1192-1208 |
the joys of sex
are mutual |
| 1209-87 |
aspects of
fertility and sexual habits |
BOOK FIVE
Introduction
| 1-90 |
praise of
Epicurus' achievements and syllabus of the book |
The World
| 91-415 |
the world is
mortal and was not created by the gods |
| 416-508 |
Random atoms
coming together form the world |
| 509-770 |
astronomical
phenomena - sun, moon etc, |
Life on Earth
| 771-836 |
origins of life
on earth |
| 837-924 |
how some species
died out, and how some mythical species can never have existed |
Human Society
|
925-1010 |
the
life of primitive man |
|
1011-27 |
the
social contract and origin of law |
|
1028-90 |
origin of language |
|
1091-1104 |
discovery of fire |
|
1105-60 |
property and political power |
|
1161-1240 |
the
birth of superstition out of ignorance |
|
1241-1349 |
the
technology of warfare: use of metals and animals in battle |
|
I350-60 |
textiles |
|
1361-78 |
agriculture |
|
1379-1411 |
music |
|
1412-35 |
man's constant quest for novelty |
|
1436-47 |
time, towns, ships, poetry |
|
1448-57 |
progress |
BOOK SIX
Introduction
| 1-42 |
Athens and
Epicurus |
| 43-95 |
summary of the
book - the sky and L.'s anti-theological views of celestial phenomena |
The Sky and
Its Phenomena
|
96-159 |
thunder |
|
160-218 |
lightning |
|
219-378 |
thunderbolts explained |
|
379-422 |
attack on the theological view of thunderbolts |
|
423-50 |
waterspouts |
|
451-94 |
clouds |
|
495-523 |
rain |
|
524-34 |
rainbows, snow, wind, hail, frost and ice obey the same laws |
The Earth and
Its Wonders
| 535-607 |
earthquakes |
| 608-38 |
the sea and its
constant size |
| 639-711 |
volcanoes |
| 712-37 |
the River Nile |
| 738-839 |
'Avernian' lakes |
| 840-905 |
wonderful
springs |
| 906-1089 |
the magnet |
Epidemic
Diseases
| 1090-1137
|
epidemics and
their causes |
| 1138-1286 |
the great
plague at Athens |
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