The Formation of Chance as a Metaphysical Category in the Teachings of Early Greek Philosophers Heraclitus and Democritus

Interest in chance, as a special ontological category, arises with the development of philosophy and science. The history of philosophy has several interpretations of this category: from the complete denial of its existence, to the proclamation of a special type of relationship. In our opinion, chance, despite the diversity of interpretations, has always been an important factor for the implementation of a method designed to determine how tightly philosophy and science can interact. The category of chance is a very accurate indicator of the change of worldview and the creation of new landmarks of knowledge. Turning to the formation of chance as a metaphysical category will help us to identify the main aspects of its influence on scientific knowledge.

Keywords: chance, metaphysics, early Greek philosophers, Heraclitus, Democritus.