Miletus Tales he was an important pre-Socratic Greek thinker, philosopher and mathematician. He is considered by some to be the "Father of Science" and "Western Philosophy".
His main ideas expanded theoretical horizons in the areas of mathematics, philosophy and astronomy. For him, water was the main element of nature and the essence of all things.
Biography of Thales of Miletus
Thales of Miletus, probably descendant of Phoenicians, was born in the ancient Greek colony Miletus, region of Ionia, present-day Turkey, around 623 or 624 BC. Ç.
He was a man of many abilities and learning, and thus a figure respected by his Greek people.
He sought rational answers to the phenomena of nature and reasons for existence. Therefore, he is considered one of the first philosophers to break with the religious point of view.
Reason x Myth
In the city of Miletus, he was the founder of the "Jonic School", considered the oldest philosophical school, where their thinkers sought cosmological explanations, that is, through nature through the comments.
Thus, they were adherents of the so-called "Unitarian Philosophy", whose principle was based on the single principle which explains all things and, in the case of Thales of Miletus, the water element.
He traveled to Egypt and Babylon deepening his knowledge while spreading it, becoming a much admired man.
Along with other philosophers, Anaximander and Anaximens, Thales of Miletus founded the "School of Miletus" (Thousandth).
Followers of him became known as 'Milesians' and were adept at philosophy, based on anthropomorphic gods (human aspects are attributed to Gods) and natural phenomena.
Astronomy and Mathematics
His contributions in the field of astronomy came from many observations he carried out, from which he even predicted the solar eclipse that occurred in the year 585 BC. Ç.
In mathematics, more precisely in the area of geometry, based on deductive demonstrations, he presented theories on:
- the similarity of the triangles and the relationships about their angles;
- the parallel lines;
- and the property of circles.
Tales of Mileto approximately passed away in 556 or 558 a. Ç. in your hometown.
Philosophy of Thales of Miletus
Thales' philosophy was based on three main theses:
- Everything we know is made of water and man is one more entity in this environment;
- all things, even the inanimate, are full of life;
- on the other hand, change and generation can only be achieved through condensation and rarefaction.
As for aesthetics, he said that the search for knowledge was the most beautiful object we could have.
He occupied himself with further explaining the phenomena of nature and mathematics. Therefore, he made no major considerations about ethics and human beings.
Thales' Theorem
It is said that Thales was invited to discover the height of the Cheops pyramid in Egypt.
Therefore, the Thales' Theorem, where the parallel and transverse lines form proportional segments.
Phrases from Thales of Miletus
- The hardest thing in the world is to know ourselves and the easiest is to speak ill of others.
- Water is the beginning of all things.
- The oldest being is God, because he was not begotten.
- All things are full of gods.
- The most beautiful thing is the world, because it is a divine work.
- Hope is the only good common to all men; those who have nothing else still have it.
Curiosities
- Thales of Miletus is one of the “Seven Wise Men of Ancient Greece”, along with Bias of Priene, Chilon of Sparta, Cleobulus of Lindus, Perianthus of Corinth, Pittacus of Mytilene and Solon of Athens.
- the greek philosopher Aristotle (384 a. C.-322 a. C.) appoints Thales of Mileto as the first philosopher of mankind.
read more
- What is Philosophy?
- Pre-Socratic Philosophers
- ancient philosophy
- Pythagoras
- Democritus
- heraclitus
- Brazilian Philosophers You Need to Know
- The most important philosophers in history
