The Atomists believed that there was some connection between reality and the world we perceived. This view can be seen in the following quote: “The coming together and separating of atoms (the real and basic, entities of the theory) is responsible for all aspects of the sensible world, and so what looks like coming to be or passing away is really only alternation and arrangement” (p 65). The pluralists believed something similar, as seen in the following statement: “ The metaphysical dependence of the objects of the sensible world on the four elements means that the sensible world too is subject to rational explanation and can be known” (p 48).

The reason it is not proper to rely on the senses is because they perceive things in our world as being created, destroyed, moving and changing: all qualities that defy Parmenides’ postulated characteristics of what is. The characteristics of a genuine being are as follows: A genuine being to Parmenides would be complete, for if it were not complete there would be an empty space in the universe filled with nothing. It would need to be of one kind, for if it were not of one kind, something would then need to separate the plural entities, which is not possible. A genuine being would be ungenerated, and imperishable the reason for this according to Parmenides, is because everything in the universe that now exists has always existed, and always will exist. To suggest otherwise would imply that the universe was at one point, or will at some point, have an absence of something, which is not possible. Lastly, a true entity would need to be unmovable, because in order for something to move it needs to enter into some empty space, which does not exist according to Parmenides (28B8 1-12). Thus, if the senses perceive what is not, then they must be lying to us.

The Pluralists and Atomists, according to Parmenides’ theory follow the second path, the path of what is not. To Parmenides, Pluralistic, and atomic cosmology would be incomprehensible as they try to explain reality through experience using senses, which according to him are false, deceiving, and so not belong in the category of what is (28B7).

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