Thales

Thales (c. 624 BC-- c. 545 BC), also known as Thales of Miletus, was a Greek philosopher, mathematician, scientist, and astronomer, born in Miletus in Ionia in Asia Minor. His contribution is very difficult to assess, since no writings by Thales survive, and no contemporary sources exist. We only know that he was among one of the seven sages of ancient Greece, a philosopher of the physical school, and the father of philosophy in general, whom Aristotle judged to be the founder of physical science. He is also credited with founding geometry, and was the first to seek and find within Nature an explanation of Nature. He proposed that water was the primary substance from which all things were derived.

Though he was chiefly known as the first Greek philosopher, scientist and mathematician, he was also an engineer. Unfortunately, his works also did not survive and therefore no one knows about his exact contribution to the society. We know about him through the writings of others great personalities.

Discovery of five geometric theorems are credited to him, which are
1. that a circle is bisected by its diameter,
2. that angles in a triangle opposite two sides of equal length are equal,
3. that opposite angles formed by intersecting straight lines are equal,
4. that the angle inscribed inside a semicircle is a right angle, and
5. that a triangle is determined if its base and the two angles at the base are given.

Aristotle said that Thales was the first to suggest a single material substratum for the universe—namely, water, or moisture.

Many sayings attributed to him are also considered not authentic such as “Know thyself” and “Nothing in excess”. Nevertheless, we have selected some from authentic and reliable sources.

Wisdom & Quotes

• Water is the principle, or the element, of all things. All things are water.

- quoted in Plutarch, Placita Philosophorum

• "The principle of all things is water," he says, and also that "all comes from water, and to water all returns".
• All things are full of gods.

-quoted by Aristotle

• Nothing is more active than thought, for it travels over the universe, and nothing is stronger than necessity for all must submit to it.
• Time is the wisest of all things that are; for it brings everything to light.
• If there is a change, there must be some thing that changes, yet does not change.

Solon

Nearby pages
Thalia, Thalli Vidhan Sabha Constituency, Thallium, Thamada Ghumar Waterfall, Thamballapalle Vidhan Sabha Constituency