Atoms Quote by Edward Robert Harrison
“'By convention there is color, by convention sweetness, by convention bitterness, but in reality there are atoms and the void,' announced Democritus. The universe consists only of atoms and the void; all else is opinion and illusion. If the soul exists, it also consists of atoms.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Birth of the Universe by Edward Robert Harrison, 1978
The universe is fundamentally composed of atoms and empty space; all other qualities are human constructs.
In simple terms: Atoms and void are the only reality; everything else is perception.
Question assumptions about what is truly real.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- physics education
- critical thinking
- spiritual debates
- artistic interpretation
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you consider sensory experiences real or illusion?
- How does this view affect your sense of self?
Human experience of taste and color may have genuine effects despite being constructed.