Thales

Thales of Miletus

Birthplace: Miletus, Ionia (present-day Milet, Turkey)

Birth Date: Circa 624-625 BCE

Death Date: Circa 546-545 BCE

Country of Origin: Ancient Greece (Ionia)

Early Life : Thales of Miletus is regarded as one of the earliest known Greek philosophers and mathematicians. He was born in Miletus, a prominent city in the region of Ionia, which was known for its intellectual and philosophical activity in ancient Greece.

Little is known about Thales's early life and education, but he is believed to have received a classical education typical of the aristocracy of his time, which would have included mathematics, astronomy, and philosophy. It is said that he traveled extensively, including to Egypt, where he likely acquired knowledge of geometry and astronomy.

Personal Life: While Thales is best known for his contributions to philosophy and science, there is little information available about his personal life. He is often described as a solitary and contemplative thinker who devoted his life to intellectual pursuits.

Written Works: Thales did not leave behind any written works, and no direct writings from him have survived to the present day. His ideas and contributions are known primarily through the writings of later philosophers, historians, and scholars, such as Aristotle and Herodotus.

Legacy: Thales is considered one of the Seven Sages of Greece, a group of early philosophers and statesmen known for their wisdom and ethical teachings. He is often regarded as the first philosopher in the Western tradition and is credited with laying the foundation for the development of scientific inquiry and natural philosophy.

Thales is most famous for his belief that water is the fundamental substance (or "archê") from which all things in the universe are derived. This concept represents one of the earliest attempts to explain the natural world through rational, non-mythological means.

Thales's contributions to geometry, particularly his discovery of several geometric principles, are also noteworthy. He is said to have introduced the concept of deductive reasoning and is credited with several geometric theorems, such as the famous "Thales's Theorem" regarding the properties of triangles and circles.

Death: Thales is believed to have lived for about 78 to 79 years, passing away around 546-545 BCE in Miletus, the city of his birth. Despite the lack of surviving written works attributed to him, his ideas and contributions had a profound influence on subsequent generations of philosophers, scientists, and mathematicians in ancient Greece and beyond. Thales's emphasis on natural explanations and the search for underlying principles in the natural world set the stage for the development of Western philosophy and science.