ORIGINS OF MODERNITY

philosophy

Gassendi, Pierre (1592-1655)
De vita et moribus Epicuri : libri octo.
Hagae-Comitum : Apud Adrianum Vlacq, 1656.

A contemporary of Descartes and a contributor to experimental natural philosophy in his own right, the priest Pierre Gassendi was the most important reviver of the atomic theory of Epicurus. Gassendi's virulent attack on Aristotelian philosophy centred around his acceptance of Epicurus' matter theory which traditionally had been associated with atheism. Boyle perceptively commented that Gassendi 'baptized Epicurus'. This short work is a potted biography of the great Hellenistic philosopher.