Thales of Miletus (First Half Sixth Century BCE)

Thales of Miletus (first half sixth century BCE) Greek philosopher and scientist

His most important contribution to western civilization is his attempt to give rational explanations for physical phenomena. Behind the phenomena was not a catalogue of deities, but one single, first principle, which Thales called an archê, "cause." He identified this first principle with water, but it is unclear whether he meant that everything being is water or originates in water. Still, this does not mean that Thales really broke with religious explanation, and in fact, he would have been surprised to read the preceding section. "All is full of gods," he said. In Magnesia, a town north of Miletus, he observed the typical mineral that derives its name from the town, and argued that because magnets attracted iron, they had a soul. This seems to imply that Thales thought that the soul was the cause of movement. The idea that even minerals could have a soul, resulted in a next step: that everything was animated. Thales of Miletus (first half sixth century BCE) Greek philosopher and scientist

His most important contribution to western civilization is his attempt to give rational explanations for physical phenomena. Behind the phenomena was not a catalogue of deities, but one single, first principle, which Thales called an archê, "cause." He identified this first principle with water, but it is unclear whether he meant that everything being is water or originates in water. Still, this does not mean that Thales really broke with religious explanation, and in fact, he would have been surprised to read the preceding section. "All is full of gods," he said. In Magnesia, a town north of Miletus, he observed the typical mineral that derives its name from the town, and argued that because magnets attracted iron, they had a soul. This seems to imply that Thales thought that the soul was the cause of movement. The idea that even minerals could have a soul, resulted in a next step: that everything was animated.

Democritus of Abdera (fifth century) Greek philosopher, founder of the atomic theory One of the greatest ideas of Ancient Greece came from Democritus of Abdera. He hypothesized that matter was made up from atoms. There was no real evidence for this idea (which was not completely new), but it explained why change was possible. The atoms were always moving and clustering in various, temporary combinations. Atoms did not make up just everyday objects for Democritus, but influenced his thoughts on sight and the senses. As for perception, Democritus held to his strictly materialist philosophy maintaining that atoms, the hard bits of reality, were the reasoning behind our senses. It is due to the movement of the atoms through space or void that augur our experience of sight. Any large object would slough off their atoms which then are carried to our eyes. This would be an explanation for why objects far away are less clear in detail since their atoms would collide more with air atoms by the time they reached a pair of eyes. Democritus believed that all of the senses were due to touch and the physical experience of atoms encountering each other. Another example would be taste, where 'jagged' atoms would tear taste buds, creating a sensation of bitterness while rounder atoms would be sweeter.

Democritus of Abdera (fifth century) Greek philosopher, founder of the atomic theory

One of the greatest ideas of Ancient Greece came from Democritus of Abdera. He hypothesized that matter was made up from atoms. There was no real evidence for this idea (which was not completely new), but it explained why change was possible. The atoms were always moving and clustering in various, temporary combinations. Atoms did not make up just everyday objects for Democritus, but influenced his thoughts on sight and the senses. As for perception, Democritus held to his strictly materialist philosophy maintaining that atoms, the hard bits of reality, were the reasoning behind our senses. It is due to the movement of the atoms through space or void that augur our experience of sight. Any large object would slough off their atoms which then are carried to our eyes. This would be an explanation for why objects far away are less clear in detail since their atoms would collide more with air atoms by the time they reached a pair of eyes. Democritus believed that all of the senses were due to touch and the physical experience of atoms encountering each other. Another example would be taste, where 'jagged' atoms would tear taste buds, creating a sensation of bitterness while rounder atoms would be sweeter.

Archimedes of Syracuse (287-212) Greek engineer, inventor

Archimedes' Screw

This is perhaps his most significant invention where Archimedes designed a structure that allowed water from a low lying plain to reach irrigation canals without laborious effort. The SS Archimedes was a ship named after the great inventor, which was the first steamship to come with a screw propeller.

It was first called the Egyptian screw since Archimedes had been to Egypt on a visit from Syracuse. King Hiero II wanted Archimedes to design a huge ship that could hold an approximate of 600 people, complete with a gymnasium, temple, and garden-like interiors. When bilge water accumulated to a point where it became too deep (on the ship Syracusia), a man could pump out the water using the same screw design (fitted within a cylindrical structure) by Archimedes. Hippocrates of Cos (460-377?) Famous Greek physician Hippocrates made medicine an independent discipline and did much for its professionalisation. One of his principles was that one could not study an illness in isolation, but had to study the patient as a whole. He is also responsible for the Hippocratic Oath. Below are some excerpts from that oath.

The Hippocratic Oath

I swear by Apollo Physician and Asclepius and Hygieia and Panaceia and all the gods and goddesses, making them my witnesses, that I will fulfil according to my ability and judgment this oath and this covenant:

I will apply dietetic measures for the benefit of the sick according to my ability and judgment; I will keep them from harm and injustice.

What I may see or hear in the course of the treatment or even outside of the treatment in regard to the life of men, which on no account one must spread abroad, I will keep to myself, holding such things shameful to be spoken about.

Hippocrates of Cos (460-377?) Famous Greek physician Hippocrates made medicine an independent discipline and did much for its professionalisation. One of his principles was that one could not study an illness in isolation, but had to study the patient as a whole. He is also responsible for the Hippocratic Oath. Below are some excerpts from that oath.

The Hippocratic Oath

I swear by Apollo Physician and Asclepius and Hygieia and Panaceia and all the gods and goddesses, making them my witnesses, that I will fulfil according to my ability and judgment this oath and this covenant:

I will apply dietetic measures for the benefit of the sick according to my ability and judgment; I will keep them from harm and injustice.

What I may see or hear in the course of the treatment or even outside of the treatment in regard to the life of men, which on no account one must spread abroad, I will keep to myself, holding such things shameful to be spoken about. Euclid (c.300 BCE) Greek mathematician, author of the Elements

Euclid based his approach upon 10 axioms, statements that could be accepted as truths. He called these axioms his 'postulates' and divided them into two groups of five, the first set common to all mathematics, the second specific to geometry. Some of these postulates seem to be self-explanatory to us, but Euclid operated upon the principle that no axiom could be accepted without proof.

The five postulates related specifically to geometry:

1. A straight line can be drawn between any two points. 2. Any finite straight line can be extended indefinitely in a straight line. 3. For any line segment, it is possible to draw a circle using the segment as the radius and one end point as the center. 4. All right angles are congruent (the same). 5. If a straight line falling across two other straight lines results in the sum of the angles on the same side less than two right angles, then the two straight lines, if extended indefinitely, meet on the same side as the side where the angle sums are less than two right angles.

Euclid’s Postulates (1 - 5) Pythagoras (570 – 495 BCE) Greek Philosopher and Mathematician

The Pythagorean Theorem was one of the earliest theorems known to ancient civilizations. This famous theorem is named for the Greek mathematician and philosopher, Pythagoras. Pythagoras founded the Pythagorean School of Mathematics in Cortona, a Greek seaport in Southern Italy. He is credited with many contributions to mathematics although some of them may have actually been the work of his students.

The Pythagorean Theorem is a statement about triangles containing a right angle. The Pythagorean Theorem states that: "The area of the square built upon the hypotenuse of a right triangle is equal to the sum of the areas of the squares upon the remaining sides."

Figure 1 Thus, the Pythagorean Theorem stated algebraically is: