Philosophy of Nature 

• Introduction

Thales (624/623 BC – 546/545 BC) was a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher and mathematician. He is considered the founder of the Maltese School of natural philosophy. Thales believed that the ultimate principle or substance of the universe was water. He argued that everything in the natural world, including the earth and the sky, had originated from water. He also believed that the earth floated on water, which was the primary source of all life.

Thales is known for his contributions to geometry, particularly for his discovery that any circle is bisected by its diameter. He is also credited with predicting a solar eclipse in 585 BC, which was a significant event in ancient Greek history.

Next, let's look at Anaximander.

Anaximander (610/609 BC – 546/545 BC) was a pupil of Thales and succeeded him as the head of the Maltese School. Like Thales, Anaximander believed in a single, primary substance that constituted the universe, but he proposed a different element: the apeiron or the boundless. The apeiron is an infinite, undefined substance that has no beginning or end and is the source of all things.

Anaximander believed that the universe went through a cycle of birth, maturity, and death, and that this cycle was governed by the laws of nature. He also suggested that life originated in the sea and that human beings evolved from fish.

Lastly, let's discuss Anaximenes.

Anaximenes (585/584 BC – 525/524 BC) was a student of Anaximander and continued his teacher's work in developing the natural philosophy of the Maltese School. Anaximenes believed that air was the ultimate substance of the universe, and that all other substances were derived from it. He argued that the quality of air changed depending on its density and that these changes were responsible for the different forms of matter in the natural world.

Anaximenes also believed that the universe was governed by natural laws and that the celestial bodies moved in circular orbits around the earth.

In summary, the Maltese School of natural philosophy, also known as the Ionian School, was a group of ancient Greek philosophers who focused on the study of nature and the natural world. Thales, Anaximander, and Anaximenes were three prominent philosophers of this school who believed in a single, primary substance that constituted the universe. While they did not have a formal philosophy, their work laid the foundations for the development of Western philosophy.

• The concept of a fundamental substance

Thales of Miletus, is known for his belief that water was the fundamental substance of the universe. This concept of a fundamental substance was a radical departure from the traditional beliefs of his time, which relied on supernatural or mythological explanations to understand the world around them.

Thales' idea that everything in the world could be reduced to one fundamental substance was a revolutionary concept, as it implied that the universe was made up of natural, material elements rather than being controlled by gods or other supernatural forces. He believed that water was the fundamental substance because he observed that water was necessary for life, and that it could take on different forms, such as solid ice or gaseous steam.

This concept of a fundamental substance laid the foundation for the scientific investigation of the natural world. Thales' belief that the world was governed by natural laws that could be understood and explained through observation and reasoning helped pave the way for the development of modern scientific theories about matter and its properties.

Thales' idea also led to further investigations into the properties of matter and its behavior, such as the study of chemistry and physics. Scientists began to observe and experiment with different materials, trying to understand their properties and how they interacted with one another.

• The relationship between matter and change

Thales of Miletus, believed that all matter was in a constant state of change, and that everything in the universe was derived from water. This philosophy challenged traditional beliefs about the stability of the natural world and paved the way for the development of theories of natural selection and evolution.

Thales' belief that matter was constantly changing was a radical departure from the traditional Greek belief that the natural world was stable and unchanging. He observed that things in nature were constantly changing, such as the growth of plants or the movement of the stars. He believed that all matter was derived from water, and that through a process of transformation and change, water could become all the other elements of the universe.

Thales' ideas about the relationship between matter and change were revolutionary, as they challenged the traditional belief that the natural world was fixed and unchanging. This philosophy paved the way for the development of theories of natural selection and evolution by demonstrating that the natural world was not fixed and unchanging, but was instead constantly evolving and adapting to new environments.

The idea that all matter was derived from water also influenced later philosophers, such as Anaximenes, who believed that air was the fundamental substance of the universe. This belief in a fundamental substance led to further investigations into the properties of matter and its behavior, such as the study of chemistry and physics.

• The role of observation and experimentation

Thales of Miletus, emphasized the importance of observation and experimentation in understanding the natural world. He believed that knowledge of the natural world could only be gained through careful observation and experimentation, and that the empirical data gathered through these methods could be used to develop scientific theories.

Thales' philosophy was based on the idea that the natural world could be understood through observation and experimentation, rather than through supernatural or mythological explanations. He observed the world around him and made hypotheses about the underlying principles that governed the natural world. He then tested these hypotheses through experimentation, gathering data and refining his theories based on the results.

Thales' emphasis on observation and experimentation became a hallmark of the scientific method, which is still used in modern science today. The scientific method involves making observations, forming hypotheses, designing experiments to test those hypotheses, and analyzing the results to draw conclusions.

By emphasizing the importance of observation and experimentation, Thales laid the foundation for the development of modern science. His philosophy challenged traditional beliefs about the natural world and encouraged people to look at the world in a more objective and empirical way.