Thales
Thales of Miletus,[1] about 624 BC – 546 BC,[2] was a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher. He was from Miletus in Asia Minor. Many, notably Aristotle, regard him as the first philosopher in the Greek tradition.[3]
Thales of Miletus (Θαλής ο Μιλήσιος) | |
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| File:Thales.jpg Thales | |
| School | Ionian Philosophy, Milesian school, Naturalism |
Main interests | Ethics, Metaphysics, Mathematics, Astronomy |
Notable ideas | Water is the physis, Thales' theorem |
Influenced
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According to Bertrand Russell, "Western philosophy begins with Thales".[4] Thales attempted to explain natural phenomena without reference to mythology and was tremendously influential in this respect. Almost all of the other pre-Socratic philosophers follow him in attempting to provide an explanation of ultimate substance, change, and the existence of the world—without reference to mythology. Those philosophers were also influential, and eventually Thales' rejection of mythological explanations became an essential idea for science. He was also the first to define general principles and set forth hypotheses. As a result he has been called the "Father of Science", though maybe Democritus is more deserving of this title.[5][6]
In mathematics, Thales used geometry to solve problems such as calculating the height of pyramids and the distance of ships from the shore. He is the first known individual to whom a mathematical discovery has been attributed. Also, Thales was the first person known to have studied electricity.[7]
Referencesty
- ↑ Θαλῆς ὁ Μιλήσιος (pronounced /ˈθeɪliːz/: the a is a long a as in 'base'; the e as in 'eez'
- ↑ exact dates unknown
- ↑ Aristotle Metaphysics. Alpha, 983b18.
- ↑ Russell, Bertrand (1945). The history of western philosophy. New York: Simon and Schuster.
- ↑ Singer, C. (2008). A short history of science to the 19th century. Streeter Press. p. 35.
- ↑ Needham, C. W. (1978). Cerebral logic: solving the problem of mind and brain. Loose Leaf. p. 75. ISBN 0-398-03754-X.
- ↑ (Boyer 1991, "Ionia and the Pythagoreans" p. 43)
Thales Media
- MiletusIonicStoa.jpg
The Ionic Stoa on the Sacred Way in Miletus.
- Griechischen und phönizischen Kolonien.jpg
Map of Phoenician (in yellow) and Greek colonies (in red) between the 8th and 6th centuries BC
- All Gizah Pyramids.jpg
Thales may have been educated in Egypt.
- Nuremberg chronicles f 59r 2.png
Thales, Nuremberg Chronicle.
- Ostia, Baths of the Seven Sages (II) (4687819515).jpg
Thales depicted at the Baths of the Seven Sages.
- Thales' Theorem Simple.svg
Thales's theorem: if AC is a diameter and B is a point on the diameter's circle, the angle ∠ ABC is a right angle.
The intercept theorem: DE/BC = AE/AC = AD/AB.
- Canova - Urania, the Muse of Astronomy Reveals to Thales the Secrets of the Skies, 1798-1799 (crop).jpg
Urania, the Muse of Astronomy, Reveals to Thales the Secrets of the Skies
- Floating Earth Thales Anaximander.svg
Worldview of Thales (left) and pupil Anaximander (right).
- Capernaum roman olive press by David Shankbone.jpg
An olive mill and an olive press dating from Roman times in Capernaum, Israel.
