Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography/Volume 3/Thales

Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography/Volume 3 (1876)

Excerpted from The Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography, Volume 3, 1876 ed., page 1125-1126. (Ferrier's contributions to the Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography were for for the edition published 1857-1863. That this is the subsequent edition of 1876 is evidenced in its mentioning later dates—including that of Ferrier's death in 1864.)

2390672Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography/Volume 3 — THALES1876James Frederick Ferrier

THALES, the father of the Greek philosophy, was born at Miletus, a city of Asia Minor, about 635 b.c. The earliest efforts of speculation were put forth, not in the mother country, but in the Greek colonies; and the Ionian philosophers, with Thales at their head, took the lead. He supposed water to be the principle of all things, the ultimately real, the groundwork and origin of the universe. Aristotle says (Metaph. b. i. ch. 3) that he was probably led to this opinion "from observing that all nourishment is moist, that heat is generated from moisture, and that life is sustained by heat." Take away moisture and the universe would be dust and ashes; add moisture, and the desert blossoms like the rose. Such crude cosmogonies as those of Thales and the other early Greek speculators are important not on their own account, but on account of the incipient philosophical tendency which they attest. They show that the spirit of generalization, which searches for a principle of unity in all things, was beginning to declare itself. They stand opposed to the mythological fancies which had heretofore prevailed. They show that the authority of the senses, as the criterion of truth, was beginning to be displaced by the authority of a higher criterion—that of reason. They evince a disposition to find out not merely relative truth, that is, truth as it presents itself to man, but absolute truth, that is, truth as it exists in itself and for all intelligence. This aim, however, is not consciously proposed, still less is it successfully realized. These early systems, and among them the philosophy of Thales, afford evidence merely of speculative promise, and in no degree of speculative performance. The name of Thales is usually placed at the head of the list of the seven sages or wise men of Greece. These men were rather practical politicians than philosophers. They lived at a time when the old Greek tyrannies were tending to become republics; and they exerted all their sagacity and influence to bring about the change. In political wisdom and in pithy sayings Thales was inferior to none of his compeers. Being asked what was the rarest of sights?—"A tyrant," said he, "well stricken in years;" ominous words, which indicated that the reign of purely arbitrary government was drawing to a close. At this time the Ionian cities were isolated and independent of each other. Thales strongly advised his countrymen to enter into a confederation with the other Ionians, in order that by a union of forces they might defy the invasion with which they were threatened, first by the Lydians, and afterwards by the Persians. This wise advice was rejected, and the consequence was that his country was within a short period subjugated successively by those two powers. This happened about 550 b.c. His astronomical knowledge is said to have been so great that he was able to calculate eclipses of the sun. He died about 545 b.c., at the age of ninety.—J. F. F.