Early Greek Philosophy

The Presocratics, the first heroes of Western philosophy and science, paved the way for Plato, Aristotle and all their successors.
Democritus's atomic theory of matter, Zeno's dazzling 'proofs' that motion is impossible, Pythagorean insights into mathematics, Heraclitus's haunting and enigmatic epigrams - all form part of a revolution in human thought which relied on reasoning to justify its conclusions and forged the first scientific vocabulary.

Although none of their original writings have come down to us complete, patient detective work enables us to reconstruct the crucial questions they asked and their absorbing answers. Here Jonathan Barnes brings together the surviving Presocratic fragments in their original contexts allowing modern readers to get to grips with these pioneering thinkers whose ideas remain at the centre of philosophical debate. The revised edition of the collection has been updated to take account of further research and a major new papyrus of Empedocles.

• With a new preface, revised introduction, synopsis, an appendix on sources, subject index and index to quoted texts •

Revised Edition
Translated and edited by Jonathan Barnes