Thales of Miletus (/ ˈθeɪliːz / THAY-leez; Ancient Greek: Θαλῆς; c. 626/623 – c. 548/545 BC) was an Ancient Greek pre-Socratic philosopher from Miletus in Ionia, Asia Minor. Thales was one of the Seven Sages, founding figures of Ancient Greece. Beginning in eighteenth-century historiography, [1] many came to regard him as the first philosopher in the Greek tradition, breaking from the prior use of mythology to explain the world and instead using natural philosophy. He is thus ... Learn about the first Western philosopher and mathematician who claimed water as the first principle of the universe. Explore his life, achievements, and influence on Greek and Babylonian culture. Thales of Miletus: His Biography and Contributions to Philosophy, Mathematics, and Astronomy Thales of Miletus stands as one of the most celebrated figures of ancient Greek thought, a polymath whose work laid the groundwork for Western philosophy and science. Often hailed as the “first philosopher” in the Greek tradition, Thales ventured into realms that encompassed natural philosophy, mathematics, and astronomy. His quest to explain the natural world without resorting to mythology set ... Thales of Miletus was an illustrious pre-Socratic Greek mathematician, astronomer and a philosopher. Even Aristotle regarded him as the first philosopher in Greek tradition. Furthermore, he was the first scholarly figure in the Western world to be involved in scientific philosophy.
