Who was Thales of Miletus?
Q: Who was Thales of Miletus?
A: Thales of Miletus was a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher who lived from about 624 BC to 546 BC. He was from Miletus in Asia Minor and is regarded by many, notably Aristotle, as the first philosopher in the Greek tradition.
Q: What did Thales attempt to do?
A: Thales attempted to explain natural phenomena without reference to mythology and was tremendously influential in this respect. He rejected mythological explanations for the existence of the world and set forth general principles and hypotheses instead.
Q: How has Thales been described?
A: Bertrand Russell said that "Western philosophy begins with Thales" and he has been called the "Father of Science", though some believe Democritus deserves this title more.
Q: What mathematical discoveries is Thales attributed with?
A: Using geometry, Thales solved problems such as calculating the height of pyramids and the distance of ships from shore. He is also credited with being the first person known to have studied electricity.
Q: How did other pre-Socratic philosophers influence him?
A: Other pre-Socratic philosophers were influenced by his rejection of mythological explanations for natural phenomena and followed him in attempting to provide an explanation without reference to mythology.
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