Thales is a Greek philosopher and is known as being one among the Seven Wise Men. He is basically renowned for his theory about water which states it as being the essential element of matter and also that the Earth is a flat-shaped disk which floats on an extensive spread of water.  Diogenes Laërtius, the historian from Greece has placed the Thales’ birth in the year 624 bc. Thales’ death is supposed to have happened somewhere between the years 548 BC and 545 bc when he was approximately 78 years old. Thales’ writings have not survived. Also, there are no other contemporary sources that exist. Hence, it is very difficult to guess the achievements that he did in his lifetime are. His inclusion in the Seven Wise Men is a major factor for his well-known being. Many acts as well as sayings of Thales that became famous later on were accredited to Thales; “Nothing in excess” and “Know thyself” are some of them.  The alliance of Ionian cities was advocated by Thales, a statesman. Callimachus, a poet and a scholar suggests that there is a traditionally believed tale according to which Thales always advised sailors to pass through Ursa Minor (Little Bear) instead of going through the Ursa Major (Great Bear).  These two places are amongst the prominent constellations situated in the northern hemisphere of the earth. Thales is also thought to have applied his geometry studies and knowledge for measuring the pyramids of Egypt and also to determine the distance from sea to the shore where ships landed. Although these stories appear to be fictional, they definitely describe the reputation of Thales. Xenophanes, who was a poet as well as a philosopher, had made a claim suggesting; Thales was one to foretell about a solar eclipse which was responsible to stop an ongoing conflict between King of Lydia, Alyattes and the King of Media, Cyaxares, and this happened on twenty-eighth of May 585 BC. Modern day experts however say that it wasn’t possible for Thales to have the knowledge for predicting the place or even the type of any eclipse in an accurate fashion.

Description: This is a summary of an ancient Greek Philosopher, Thales that covers his life, his findings and philosophical works.