Strato of Lampsacus

Strato of Lampsascus ~335 to ~269 BC was the third head of the Lyceum. He became head after the death of Theophrastus.

Although Aristotle and Theophrastus are better known, Strato was closer to modern thinking. He had a naturalistic view of the world. Like the atomists (Leucippus and Democritus), Strato was a materialist. He believed that everything in the universe was made of matter and energy. He was one of the first philosophers to have a secular worldview. Cicero said "he liberates God from a big job and me from fear".Cicero, Lucullus, 121. quoted in Reale, Giovanni & Catan, John R. 1985. A history of Ancient Philosophy. Suny Press, vol 3, p103.

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Category:330s BC births
Category:260s BC deaths
Category:Ancient Greek philosophers
Category:Atheists