Thales of Miletus

Thales of Miletus (lived c. 626—545 BC) was an ancient Greek pre-Socratic philosopher from Miletus in Ionia, today’s western Aegean coast of Türkiye. He is considered the first philosopher in the Greek tradition, explaining the world using natural philosophy instead of mythology. He engaged in mathematics, science, and deductive reasoning. Thales was said to have calculated the heights of the pyramids and the distances of ships from the shore. He also predicted the timings of solstices, equinoxes, and solar eclipses.