“The Presocratic’s Logical Path to Atomism”, Gwern2010-11-06 (philosophy)⁠:

How and why did they deduce atomism?

• Milesians
  • Thales
  • Anaximander
  • Anaximenes
• Pythagoreans
  • Pythagoras
  • Philolaus
• Eleatics
  • Xenophanes
  • Parmenides
• Melissus
• Zeno of Elea
• Pluralists
  • Anaxagoras
  • Empedocles
• Atomists
• Democritus/Leucippus
  • Democritus
• Indian