PHILOSOPHY A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z                    HOME ABOUT CATEGORIES SITE MAP COPYRIGHT ADVERTISE CONTACT entire Web this site ancient philosophy, related to the possibility of extraterrestrial life The idea that there might be other inhabited worlds dates back thousands of years and has roots in both Eastern and Western thought. Doubtless it first took the form of beliefs in gods, goddesses, and other spiritual beings which inhabited realms beyond the Earth. On a more intellectual level, Buddhism taught pluralism, as did some of the schools of Greek philosophy. Of the latter, atomism, as developed and propagated notably by Leucippus, Democritus, Epicurus, and Lucretius, is the most significant because the concept of multiple worlds and life is implicit in its cosmological scenario. Prominent among other ancient philosophers who speculated about the possibility (or impossibility) of other worlds and life, or who made discoveries relevant to these subjects, were    Thales of Miletus    Anaximander of Miletus    Anaximenes of Lampsacus    Xenophanes    Anaxagoras of Clazomenae    Plato    Aristotle    Aristarchus of Samos    Eratosthenes of Cyrene    Hipparchus of Nicea    Plutarch    Ptolemy    Lucian of Samosata. Related entry    • medieval philosophy, related to the possibility of extraterrestrial life Related category    • PHILOSOPHY Also on this site: Encyclopedia of Alternative Energy & Sustainable Living Encyclopedia of History Transport Concepts & Designs (partner site) BACK TO TOP