Democritus \di-'ma-kr3-t9s\ (b. c. 460—d. c. 370 bc) Greek philoso¬ pher. Though only a few fragments of his work survive, he was appar¬ ently the first to describe invisible “atoms” as the basis of all matter. His atoms—indestructible, indivisible, incompressible, uniform, and differing only in size, shape, and motion—anticipated with surprising accuracy those discovered by 20th-century scientists. For his amusement at human foibles, he has been called “the Laughing Philosopher.” See also atomism.
demography \di-'ma-gr3-fe\ Statistical study of human populations, especially with reference to size and density, distribution, and vital sta¬ tistics. Contemporary demographic concerns include the global birth rates, the interplay between population and economic development, the effects of birth control, urban congestion, illegal immigration, and labour force statistics. The basis for most demographic research lies in population cen- suses and the registration of vital statistics.
demon or daemon \'de-man\ In religions worldwide, any of various evil spirits that mediate between the supernatural and human realms. The term comes from the Greek word daimon, a divine or semidivine power that determined a person’s fate. Zoroastrianism had a hierarchy of demons, which were in constant battle with Ahura Mazda. In Judaism it was believed that demons inhabited desert wastes, ruins, and graves and inflicted physical and spiritual disorders on humankind. Christianity placed Satan or Beelzebub at the head of the ranks of demons, and Islam designated Iblis or Satan as the leader of a host of evil jinn. Hinduism has many demons, called asuras, who oppose the devas (gods). In Buddhism demons are seen as tempters who prevent the achievement of nirvana.
Demosthenes \di-'mas-th3-,nez\ (b. 384 bc, Athens—d. Oct. 12, 322, Calauria, Argolis) Athenian states¬ man known as the greatest orator of ancient Greece. According to Plu¬ tarch, he was a stutterer in his youth and improved his speech by placing pebbles in his mouth and practicing before a mirror. His talents were rec¬ ognized early, and powerful clients engaged him as a speechwriter.
Throughout his life he espoused democratic principles. He roused Athens against Philip II by his great “Philippics,” and later against Phil¬ ip’s son Alexander the Great. In so doing he incurred the enmity of Aeschines, who argued that Philip’s intentions were peaceable; Demos¬ thenes succeeded in having Aeschines ostracized (330), but he was himself later forced into exile (324). Recalled after Alexander’s death (323), he fled Alexander’s suc¬ cessor and committed suicide.
Dempsey, Jack orig. William Harrison Dempsey (b. June 24,
1895, Manassa, Colo., U.S.—d. May 31, 1983, New York, N.Y.) U.S. boxer. Dempsey started fighting in 1914 under the name Kid Blackie.
After compiling an impressive num¬ ber of first-round knockouts, in 1919 he was matched against world heavyweight champion Jess Willard.
Dempsey defeated Willard in three rounds. He then held the heavy¬ weight title until his defeat by Gene Tunney in 1926 in a 10-round deci¬ sion. In the next year’s rematch, in the famous “Long Count” bout,
Dempsey would not go to a neutral comer after knocking Tunney down; this delayed the start of the count against Tunney and gave him extra time to recover and win the fight.
Nicknamed the “Manassa Mauler,”
Dempsey was known as a ferocious fighter who kept continuously on the offensive. He fought exhibition matches in the 1930s before retiring in 1940; he later became a success¬ ful restaurateur. In 84 fights he com¬ piled a record of 62 wins, 51 by knockout.
Demosthenes, marble statue, detail of a Roman copy of a Greek original of c. 280 bc; in the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen.
© 2006 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
532 I demurrer ► Denmark
demurrer \di-'m9r-9r\ In law, a plea in response to an allegation that admits its truth but also asserts that it is not sufficient as a cause of action. In the U.S., demurrers are no longer used in federal procedure (having been replaced by motions to dismiss or motions for more definite state¬ ment) but are still used in some states. A general demurrer challenges the sufficiency of the substance of an allegation, whereas a special demurrer challenges the structure or form of an allegation.
Demuth Vdo-'miithX, Charles (b. Nov. 8,1883, Lancaster, Pa., U.S.—d. Oct. 23, 1935, Lancaster) U.S. painter. He studied in Philadelphia and later in Europe. On his return he became an important channel for the transmission of modem European movements into American art. Best known as an exponent of Precision- ism, he excelled at watercolour and executed an outstanding series of flowers, circuses, and cafe scenes.
Later he incorporated advertisements and billboard lettering into hard- edged, abstract cityscapes. Among his well-known works are his so-called “poster portraits” such as I Saw the Figure 5 in Gold (1928), a symbolic portrait of the poet William Carlos Williams.
Denali See Mount McKinley
Denali \do-'na-le\ National Park Preserve, southern central Alaska, U.S. Established in 1980, it comprises the former Mount McKinley National Park (1917) and Denali National Monument (1978). Highlights of the park include Mount Mc¬ Kinley, the large glaciers of the Alaska Range, and abundant wildlife. The park’s total area is 5,000,000 acres (2,025,000 hectares).
denaturation Vde-.na-cho-'ra-shonN Biochemical process modifying a protein’s natural configuration. It involves breaking many weak (hydro¬ gen and hydrophobic) bonds (see bonding) that maintain the protein’s highly ordered structure. This usually results in loss of biological activ¬ ity (e.g., loss of an enzyme’s ability to catalyze reactions). Denaturation can be brought about by heating; treatment with alkalis, acids, urea, or detergents; or even vigorous shaking of the protein solution. It can be reversed in some cases (e.g., serum albumin, hemoglobin), if conditions favourable to the protein are restored, but not in others. The term is also used to describe the process of rendering ethanol unfit to drink.
Dench, Dame Judi(th Olivia) (b. Dec. 9, 1934, York, Yorkshire, Eng.) British actress. She made her stage debut in 1957 as Ophelia in Hamlet , and Shakespearean works became her specialty. She also per¬ formed in musical roles, starring in the London premiere of Cabaret in 1968. Among her many other notable credits were the 1981-84 TV series A Fine Romance and the films 84 Charing Cross Road (1986), Mrs. Brown (1997)—in which she starred as Queen Victoria—and Shakespeare in Love (1998, Academy Award).
dendrochronology \ 1 den-dro-kr9-'na-l3-je\ Method of scientific dat¬ ing based on the analysis of tree rings. Because the width of annular rings varies with climatic conditions, laboratory analysis of timber core samples allows scientists to reconstruct the conditions that existed when a tree’s rings developed. By taking thousands of samples from different sites and different strata within a particular region, researchers can build a com¬ prehensive historical sequence that becomes a part of the scientific record. Such master chronologies are used by archaeologists, climatologists, and others.
Deneuve \d3-'noev\, Catherine orig. Catherine Dorleac (b. Oct. 22, 1942, Paris, France) French film actress. She appeared in films from age 13 and won fame with her role in The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964). Her cool blond beauty and skillful portrayals in Roman Polanski’s Repul¬ sion (1965) and Luis Bunuel’s Belle de jour (1967) and Tristana (1970) made her an international star. Her numerous other films include The Last Metro (1980) and Indochine (1992).