ABSTRACT

Againstthisreasoning,he-Democritus-imaginedthesensestospeak thus:

Poorintellect!Youtakeyourcredentialsfromusandwantourdownfall? Castingusdownyoufallyourself!

ThustheTwoWaysofParmenidesbecamethewayofreasonandthe wayofthesenses:rationalismandempiricism.Theyalsogaverisetothe distinctionbetweenprimaryandsecondaryqualities-betweenspatial shapeorextension(whichisrealandobjective)andcolourandsound (whicharesubjectiveandhardlybetterthanillusory);adistinctionthat playssoimportantaroleinGalileoandhissuccessors.