Question

Name the Indian philosopher who proposed the theory matter.

Answer 1

Hint:A theory of atoms was formulated 2,500 years ago by Indian sage and philosopher, known as Acharya Kanad. Thus the first theory of the atom was not developed in (1766 – 1844) by John Dalton, it was proposed in 600 B.C by Acharya Kanad who was an Indian philosopher.

Complete step by step answer:
Kanad was the first person in the world who discussed atoms and molecules. Kanad who first propounded that the Parmanu (Atoms) was an indestructible particle of matter. According to that material, the universe is made up of Parmanu (atoms). When the matter is divided and subdivided, we reach a stage beyond which no division is possible, the indivisible element of matter is Parmanu (Atom). Kanad also explained that this indivisible, indestructible atom cannot be sensed through any human organ.
This above theory occurred to him while Kanad was walking with food in his hand, breaking it into small pieces when he realized that he was unable to divide the food into any further parts because it was too small. From this moment, Kanad created the idea of a particle that could not be divided any further. Thus he called that indivisible matter as Parmanu (Atom).
Kanad further held that atoms of the same substance combined to produce divyanka means diatomic molecules and tryanuka means triatomic molecules. Kanad also proposed further ideas that atoms could be combined in various ways to produce chemical changes in presence of other factors such as heat.
This Indian concept of the atom was developed independently and created an influence on the development of the idea in the Greco–Roman world. These Indian ideas about atoms and atomic physics could have been transmitted to the west by the invasion of Alexander. Greeks came into India only in the fourth century B.C. Thus Greeks borrowed the ideas about atoms from Indian philosophers in the fourth century B.C.


Note:
It reminds us that Indian ideas about atoms are the oldest. But the credit of developing these ideas further goes to the Greeks and other western philosophers as Indian theories about the atom are greatly abstract and enmeshed in philosophy.