尹比鳩魯哲學之“最小部份”：論其起源，性質以及功能

The Minimae Partes in the Philosophy of Epicurus of Samos: Its Origin , Its Nature and Its Functions

本文係討論“最小部份”minimae partes）在伊比鳩魯哲學裡的重要性，及其廣泛的意涵。採取之方式乃將此概念，置於伊比鳩魯之前的希臘哲學傳統以及伊比鳩魯派哲學系統本身之中，來看待處理。為了這緣故，必須把伊比鳩魯之前以及之後的相關理念來一起討論，重新建構此概念之演變發展；亦即對“最小部份”做一次意念史（history of idea）的探討（Part I）。討論的哲學家包括Zeno of Elea，前蘇格拉底哲學中的原子論，柏拉圖學院之Xenocrates，以及可能屬於辯證學派之Diodorus Cronus等，最後則討論伊比鳩魯派哲學。這種尋求“最小部份”在歷史裡的演變，將讓我們理解到它與希臘自然哲學中一些基本概念，例如，時間、空間、運動、靜止、體積、連續、斷歇、無限等等，皆有關連（Part II.l～II.5）。

The purpose of this essay is to make an inquiry into the physical concept of minimae partes --"smallest parts" --in Epicurus' philosophy. Minimae partes are said to be the conceptual components of Epicurus' atoms, and atoms in their movement are said to move sideways at the range of one minima pars without any antecedent cause and at unfixed time and place. All of these are threadbare cliches for the students of Hellenistic philosophy but a systematic elaboration of these well known facts remains in great need because most of the discussions concerned with this concept and its implications are either inadequate in their interpretations of sources or treat them as side issues with no intrinsic philosophical importance. My approach is to look at this concept of minimae partes from the perspective of "history of idea" and not only to examine, in a systematic way, its philosophical significance in the whole of Epicurus' philosophy but also to adopt a diachronic view on its genesis and evolution. The latter view is particularly important because it is recognized now that a full understanding of Epicurus is impossible without taking into serious account the Eleatic, Abderite, Platonic and Peripatetic traditions . It is for this reason that I devote a rather lengthy part of this essay to a delineation of this history of influences and responses in regard to the Epicurean concept of minimae partes. The structure of this thesis is therefore composed of three parts, and each of them examines its different aspects.