Atoms, Minima, and Indivisibles in Nicholas of Autrecourt

Bibliographic Data

ID22420334
AuthorsAurélien Robert (0000-0002-6836-9942, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Paris, corresponding author)
Year2026
Volume34
Issue2
Pages276-315
Publication date2026-04-01
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenuePerspectives on Science (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1063-6145 • E-ISSN: 1530-9274
PublisherMIT Press (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1162/posc.a.581
OpenAlexW7138947671
LanguageEN
References cited31

Nicholas of Autrecourt, a philosopher of the fourteenth century, is renowned for his advocacy of atomism in opposition to Aristotle and his followers. While scholars unanimously acknowledge the pivotal role of the atom in his works, there remains considerable debate about the nature of these atoms: are they corporeal particles or mathematical points? Do they exist in finite or infinite quantities? Is there a discrepancy between physical theory and the mathematical analysis of the continuum? This paper examines these diverse interpretations and offers a novel exegesis of Nicholas of Autrecourt’s principal work, his Useful Treatise to See Whether the Arguments of the Aristotelians Were Demonstrative, usually referred to as the Exigit ordo. The paper aims to demonstrate his acceptance of the existence of atomic bodies, minima, and mathematical points, within a physical theory that could admit different mathematical interpretations. Consequently, this paper seeks to elucidate the internal coherence of this physical system and its congruence with the epistemology of our philosopher, which is based upon a rigorous analysis of sensible phenomena.

Historical Philosophy and Science · History and Theory of Mathematics · Medieval and Classical Philosophy

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