Thinking ! Philosophy ! ~ Thales of Miletus

 

When one is calm and has time at his disposal, he tends to think, think logically said a great Philosopher (Anon.!)

 

In geometry, a famous  theorem states that if A, B, and C are distinct points on a circle where the line AC is a diameter, the angle ∠ ABC is a right angle. This theorem is a special case of the inscribed angle theorem and is mentioned and proved as part of the 31st proposition in the third book of Euclid's Elements.  (pic credit : Wikipedia) 

How much do you think !?! some great philosophers have left their indelible impression on the generations, making them think.    Philosophy (from Greek  philosophia, literally "love of wisdom") is the study of general and fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Philosophical methods include questioning, critical discussion, rational argument, and systematic presentation. Classic philosophical questions include: Is it possible to know anything and to prove it?  What is most real? Philosophers also pose more practical and concrete questions.     Historically, "philosophy" encompassed any body of knowledge 

Macedonia, a small kingdom in northern Greece, established a growing empire from 359 B.C. to 323 B.C. through the reign of several kings. It also gave to the World many great philosophers.   These brilliant scholars began to use reason and logic to try and unravel the workings of the cosmos. They also explored the intricacies of human morality. In ancient Greece, philosophers contemplated and theorized about many different ideas such as human nature, ethics, and moral dilemmas. Ancient Greek philosophers can be categorized into three groups: the Pre-Socratics, the Socratics, and the Post-Socratics. 

Pre-Socratic philosophers mostly investigated natural phenomena. They believed that humans originated from a single substance, which could be water, air, or an unlimited substance called “apeiron.” One well-known philosopher from this group was Pythagoras, the mathematician who created the Pythagorean Theorem.

The Socratic philosophers in ancient Greece were Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Plato  studied ethics, virtue, justice, and other ideas relating to human behavior. Following in Socrates’ footsteps, he became a teacher and inspired the work of the next great Greek philosopher, Aristotle.  The Post-Socratic philosophers established four schools of philosophy: Cynicism, Skepticism, Epicureanism, and Stoicism.

 

The earliest among them was ‘Thales of Miletus’ who  lived in Ancient Greece. He was the first scientist in history. Thales looked for patterns in nature to explain the way the world worked rather than believing everything happened only because one of the Greek gods commanded it. He replaced superstitions with science. He was the first person to use deductive logic to find new results in geometry and, through requiring proof of theorems, took mathematics to a new, higher level. When pronouncing his name, we say thail-eez, emphasizing the first syllable.

There may have been other scientists before Thales, but if there were, we do not know their names. Thales of Miletus (623  – c. 548  BC)   was one of the Seven Sages, founding figures of Ancient Greece. The first philosophers followed him in explaining all of nature as based on the existence of a single ultimate substance. Thales theorized that this single substance was water. Thales thought the Earth floated on water.  

In mathematics, Thales is the namesake of Thales's theorem (read para 2 again!), and the intercept theorem can also be known as Thales's theorem. Thales was said to have calculated the heights of the pyramids and the distance of ships from the shore. In science, Thales was an astronomer who reportedly predicted the weather and a solar eclipse. The discovery of the position of the constellation Ursa Major is also attributed to Thales, as well as the timings of the solstices and equinoxes. He was also an engineer, known for having diverted the Halys River. Thales of Miletus is credited with the discovery of 5 geometric theorems:

•        A circle is bisected by its diameter

•        Angles opposite two equal sides of a triangle are equal

•        Opposite angles of two intersecting angles are equal

•        An angle inscribed in a semi-circle is a right-angled triangle

•        We can determine a triangle if we have the length of its base and two angles at the base are given 

 

Just in case you wonder, what all these is about ! –  the  Chimpanzee in this pic taken by me appears to be thinking ! – and the images of Thales of Miletus portray him sporting a flowing white beard.

 

தாடிகள் எல்லாம் தாகோர் அல்ல ! எனினும் தாடி உடையோரைக்  கண்டால், அவர்கள் அறிவார்ந்தவர்கள் என நினைக்கும் குழுமத்தில் அடியேனும் ஒருவன் !

 
Interesting !
 
With regards – S Sampathkumar
26.8.2024