Zeno of Elea

Zeno of Elea (490?–430 B.C.), Greek philosopher who studied under Parmenides and defended his teacher's theories. Zeno used indirect argumentation to try to prove his philosophy and is considered the inventor of pre-Socratic dialectic. He based his arguments on 4 propositions: that all things belong to one unchanging reality as opposed to many; that nothing can be proved by human reason; that empty space is not real because the One fills all voids; that motion is not real because it assumes movement from someplace to empty space, which does not exist. Zeno is known for his book of about 40 paradoxes (of which 8 survive), particularly the 4 concerning motion, which were the beginnings of modern mathematical concepts of infinity and continuity.

See also: Pre-Socratic philosophy.