The Milesian School
The Milesian School was a pre-Socratic school of philosophy founded in the ancient Greek city of Miletus in the region of Ionia, located in present-day Turkey. The school is considered one of the earliest forms of western philosophy and its thinkers are often recognized as the first philosophers in the history of Western thought.
Key Philosophers
Thales of Miletus
Thales (c. 624 – c. 546 BCE) is often regarded as the founder of the Milesian School. He is widely considered the first individual in Western history to break away from mythological explanations of the world and seek naturalistic explanations for natural phenomena. Thales is credited with proposing that water is the fundamental substance or arche of the universe. Moreover, he is known for his contributions to geometry, including Thales' Theorem and his successful prediction of a solar eclipse.
Anaximander
A student of Thales, Anaximander (c. 610 – c. 546 BCE) expanded upon his teacher's ideas and is noteworthy for introducing the concept of the Apeiron, an infinite or boundless substance that he believed was the origin of all things. Anaximander also made contributions to early cosmology and geography, creating one of the first known maps of the world.
Anaximenes of Miletus
Following Anaximander, Anaximenes (c. 585 – c. 525 BCE) proposed that air (or 'aer') is the primary substance of the universe. He believed that all matter is derived from air through processes of rarefaction and condensation. His ideas contributed to the development of early theories of change and substance.
Philosophical Contributions
The Milesian School is known for its attempt to explain the nature of the universe through a single underlying principle or substance. Each philosopher from this school posed a different candidate for the primary substance, reflecting an early form of monism. Their inquiries laid foundational work for the development of natural philosophy and the scientific method, emphasizing observation and rational explanation over myth and superstition.
Influence and Legacy
The Milesian philosophers left an indelible mark on the history of philosophy and science. Their inquiries into the fundamental nature of reality influenced later philosophers such as Heraclitus and Parmenides, who further explored the nature of change and existence. The school also paved the way for the Ionian school of philosophy, which included other pre-Socratic thinkers who continued to question the nature of the cosmos.