The First Philosopher or the First Scientist?
By: Heraclitus Herac
Thales of Miletus—ring a bell? If not, don’t worry. Philosophy isn’t exactly a household subject in our part of the world, especially when it comes from someone who valued reason and science over gods, deities, and supernatural forces. Thales was the first great thinker of Greek philosophy, born in 624 BCE in Miletus, a city in what is now Turkey. His claim to fame began when he boldly declared that water was the fundamental principle (archê) of the universe. Now, you might be thinking, “One must be either really thirsty or obsessed with bathing to make such a statement,” but hold on—there was solid reasoning behind it. Thales observed that water is essential for all living beings, it moves on its own, and it can transform into different states. In his view, this made it the ideal candidate for the primary substance of existence.
At the time, people believed that natural phenomena were governed by the whims of gods. If an earthquake struck, it was because a deity was displeased; if it rained, it was considered the blessing of some goddess. In such an era, Thales emerged with a revolutionary idea: the cosmos operates according to natural laws, not divine will. He didn’t just make claims—he used observation, logic, and experience to support them. Perhaps his most astonishing achievement was predicting a solar eclipse in 585 BCE, which turned out to be remarkably accurate. For those who thought the sun and moon were the personal dominions of some celestial beings, this was nothing short of a revelation.
But Thales was not just a philosopher; he was a shrewd businessman as well. At one point, he predicted an excellent olive harvest and promptly secured rights to olive presses in advance. When the season arrived, he made a handsome profit—demonstrating that he wasn’t merely a theorist but also possessed practical business acumen. Even Aristotle, in his Politics, acknowledged Thales as not only a philosopher but also a man of remarkable intelligence in commercial affairs.
Thales also made significant contributions to geometry. He traveled to Egypt, studied practical geometry, and later developed foundational theorems—such as the principle that in a right-angled triangle, the sum of the two non-right angles equals 90 degrees. In essence, students struggling with math today can trace their misery back to Thales, who introduced logical reasoning into mathematical inquiry.
His influence didn’t end with him. His disciples, such as Anaximander and Anaximenes, furthered his ideas. Anaximander proposed that the fundamental principle wasn’t water but the “Apeiron” (the infinite or boundless), while Anaximenes argued that air was the primary element. This intellectual lineage laid the groundwork for future philosophical and scientific developments.
Bertrand Russell, in A History of Western Philosophy, referred to Thales as the first scientist-philosopher, while Will Buckingham highlighted his theories in The Philosophy Book. Aristotle discussed Thales in Metaphysics and Politics, and Diogenes Laërtius devoted a section of Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers to his contributions.
Now, one might ask, “Why does any of this matter today?” The significance of Thales is not in his claim that water is the fundamental substance of the universe, but in the method he pioneered—seeking rational, empirical, and logical explanations for natural phenomena. Every scientific discovery, mathematical principle, or logical debate today has roots in that intellectual revolution initiated by Thales.
While modern science has shown that the universe is composed not just of water but of atoms and energy, Thales’ broader argument—that a single fundamental principle underlies all things—resonates with contemporary physics and chemistry. Even today, scientists recognize Thales as one of the earliest thinkers to pursue naturalistic explanations of the cosmos.
Ultimately, Thales’ legacy endures. Every time a scientific breakthrough occurs, every time we interpret events through reason rather than superstition, we are, in a way, carrying forward his intellectual tradition. He was the first to light the torch that later illuminated the paths of science, logic, and mathematics.
References:
- Aristotle, Metaphysics, Book I, 983b-984a.
- Aristotle, Politics, Book I, 1259a.
- Diogenes Laërtius, Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers, Book I, 22-42.
- Bertrand Russell, A History of Western Philosophy.
- Will Buckingham, The Philosophy Book.
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