Friday, December 26, 2025

THALES OF MILETUS

 


Thales of Miletus is traditionally considered the first philosopher of Western thought. His main contribution was the idea that the universe can be explained through a single natural principle rather than divine intervention. Thales proposed that water is the archē, the fundamental substance from which everything originates and to which everything returns.

For Thales, water represented life, change, and continuity. His approach marked a radical shift from mythological explanations toward rational inquiry, establishing the foundations of scientific thinking.

Now, image trying to understand all modern technology by identifying its basic component. Just as many devices rely on electricity, Thales believed that all reality depended on water.

Reading Comprehension

Thales of Miletus is traditionally regarded as the first philosopher in Western thought. Unlike mythological explanations that attributed natural events to the actions of gods, Thales sought to explain the universe through a single natural principle. His revolutionary idea was that water is the archē, the fundamental substance from which all things originate.

Thales observed that water is essential for life, capable of transformation, and present in different states. Based on these observations, he proposed that water underlies the diversity of the natural world. Although his theory may seem simplistic today, it marked a crucial shift from mythos to logos, laying the foundations for scientific and philosophical reasoning.

1️⃣ Multiple Choice

1. Why is Thales considered revolutionary?




2. What did Thales identify as the archē?





2️⃣ True / False

3. Thales relied mainly on mythological explanations.


4. Thales’ ideas helped initiate scientific thinking.



3️⃣ Fill in the Gaps

5. Thales believed that __________ was the origin of all things.




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