Final answer:
Democritus disagreed with the idea that the four basic elements (earth, air, fire, and water) were the basis of all things. He proposed that matter was made of indivisible particles called atomos, which differed in shape, size, and mass. This early atomic theory paved the way for our modern understanding of atomic structure.
Step-by-step explanation:
Democritus did not agree with the idea that the four basic elements were the basis of all things. Unlike Aristotle, who proposed that everything was made up of earth, air, fire, and water, Democritus introduced a different concept. He theorized that the universe was made up of tiny, indivisible particles he called atomos. These atoms differed in shape, size, and mass and could join together to form different materials. Democritus's ideas suggested a more complex nature of matter, rather than the four-element theory of Aristotle.
Furthermore, Democritus believed that properties like color and taste were not inherent to the atoms themselves but arose from the ways in which these atoms were combined. The atomistic theory proposed by Democritus was a significant departure from the prevailing four-element concept and led to our current understanding of matter being composed of atoms, even though it took almost two millennia for his ideas to be widely accepted in the scientific community.