THE HISTORY OF MATHEMATICIANS

THALES
BY: MOHAMAD MUSTHAQIM B SHAFIEE NABILA FATIN MOHD MARZUKI NORSURAYA MOHAMED

THE STORY OF THALES

HIGHLIGHTS

LIFE

QUOTATIONS

Thales of Miletus
BACKGROUND

THE STORY OF THALES

Thales, an engineer by trade, was the first of the Seven Sages, or wise men of Ancient Greece. Thales is known as the first Greek philosopher, mathematician and scientist. He founded the geometry of lines, so is given credit for introducing abstract geometry. He was the founder of the Ionian school of philosophy, and the teacher of Anaximander.

LIFE

Thales lived and was born in the city of Miletus, an ancient city on the western coast of Anatolia (in what is now the Aydin Province of Turkey), near the mouth of the Maeander River. The dates of Thales' life are not known precisely. There are two traditions: one that he lived to be about 90, and the other, about 80. Born: Approximately 624 BC, In what is now Turkey Died: Approximately 547 BC, Turkey

BACKGROUND

Diogenes Lartius and others say that Thales was the son of Examyas and Cleobulina and that they were of the Thelidae family (hence Thales), who were of noble Phoenician descent from Cadmus of ancient Thebes Thales involved himself in many activities, taking the role of an innovator. Thales identifies the Milesians as Athenians.

HIGHLIGHTS

Thales of Miletus was the first known Greek philosopher, scientist and mathematician. Some consider him to be the teacher of of Pythagoras, though it may be only that he advised Pythagoras to travel to Egypt and Chaldea. From Eudemus of Rhodes (fl ca. 320 B.C) we know that he studied in Egypt and brought these teachings to Greece. He is unanimously ascribed the introduction of mathematical and astronomical sciences into Greece.

None of his writing survives; this makes it is difficult to determine his philosophy and to be certain about his mathematical discoveries. He is unanimously regarded as having been unusally clever--by general agreement the first of the Seven Wise Men, a pupil of the Egyptians and the Chaldeans. There is, of course, the story of his successful speculation in oil presses -- as testament to his practical business acumen.

It is reported that he predicted an eclipse of the Sun on May 28, 585 BC, startling all of Ionia. He is credited with five theorems of elementary geometry.

Thales is believed to have been the teacher of Anaximander and he is the first natural philosopher in the Ionian (Milesian) School. Thales is also said to have discovered a method of measuring the distance to a ship at sea.

Quotations attributed to Thales

"A multitude of words is no proof of a prudent mind." "Hope is the poor man's bread." "The past is certain, the future obscure." "Nothing is more active than thought, for it travels over the universe, and nothing is stronger than necessity for all must submit to it." "Know thyself."