630?-547 B.C.

Greek Engineer

Thales is remembered as a founder of rational scientific inquiry and one of the first in a long and distinguished series of Greek scientists in the ancient world. Interested in virtually everything, he was perhaps the first person to try to postulate rational reasons for the phenomena he saw in the world, rather than relying on superstition or religion to explain everyday occurrences. In so doing, he helped set the stage for the great flowering of Greek science and philosophy that was to come, and he left his imprint on many of the Greek scientists who were to follow his example.

Thales was the son of Examyes and Cleobuline, themselves members of a distinguished family. Although Thales was likely born in the Greek city of Miletus, his parents may have been Phoenicians who lived in Miletus. However, Thales was...