29 May 2026

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Thales of Miletus (c. 624-546 BCE) is celebrated as the first Western philosopher and founder of the Milesian school, who revolutionized human thought by pioneering the use of reason and natural observation to explain the universe, moving away from traditional mythological and supernatural explanations. His core philosophical contribution was the Principle of Arche, proposing that water is the fundamental substance (first cause) of all matter in the universe, as he observed that water sustains life, changes forms (as vapor, ice, or liquid), and transforms into various earthly elements.