Thales
Anthony Reid
Math308
Biographical Sketch: Thales and Hypatia
Thales
While it is clear that Euclid definitely set a precedent for geometry and mathematics as a whole, he was not alone in his work, his endeavors, or his ideas. He certainly was not the first to come up with these theories or rules for geometry either. Before there was Euclid, there was Thales of Miletus. Thales, along with other mathematicians or “geometers” laid some of the foundation for Euclid to compile in order to write the Elements centuries later. Thales was a “renaissance man” well ahead of his time, dabbling in such subjects as astronomy, engineering, philosophy and of course, mathematics. Exploring his beginnings, and his accomplishments will afford a decent look at his impact on geometry and Euclid. Thales was born in Miletus in Ionia ca 624 B.C. (O 'Grady, n.d.). Often considered the first, or founder of, Ionian natural philosophy it is hard to be certain on many subjects of his beginnings. Thales’ past is checkered with uncertainties, not uncommon for people from this time period. Due to this, Thales’ exact birth year as well as ancestry are not certain as different sources offer conflicting answers. There is a lot of evidence that has survived to attest to the fact that he “was interested in almost everything, investigating almost all areas of knowledge, philosophy, history, science, mathematics, engineering, geography, and politics” (O 'Grady, n.d.). Countless records point to Thales for his ingenuity and well-rounded interests. His approaches to explain the world, natural events, and cosmological events lead to developments in astronomy and philosophy (Gillispie, 1970-1980). Thales became known for pushing towards scientific thoughts rather than Godly ones, and was recognized for his unique thinking at the time. Many prominent writings from the time have been ascribed to Thales, however, these accounts have been mostly unreliable. Some say that Thales left little to no works
Math308
Biographical Sketch: Thales and Hypatia
Thales
While it is clear that Euclid definitely set a precedent for geometry and mathematics as a whole, he was not alone in his work, his endeavors, or his ideas. He certainly was not the first to come up with these theories or rules for geometry either. Before there was Euclid, there was Thales of Miletus. Thales, along with other mathematicians or “geometers” laid some of the foundation for Euclid to compile in order to write the Elements centuries later. Thales was a “renaissance man” well ahead of his time, dabbling in such subjects as astronomy, engineering, philosophy and of course, mathematics. Exploring his beginnings, and his accomplishments will afford a decent look at his impact on geometry and Euclid. Thales was born in Miletus in Ionia ca 624 B.C. (O 'Grady, n.d.). Often considered the first, or founder of, Ionian natural philosophy it is hard to be certain on many subjects of his beginnings. Thales’ past is checkered with uncertainties, not uncommon for people from this time period. Due to this, Thales’ exact birth year as well as ancestry are not certain as different sources offer conflicting answers. There is a lot of evidence that has survived to attest to the fact that he “was interested in almost everything, investigating almost all areas of knowledge, philosophy, history, science, mathematics, engineering, geography, and politics” (O 'Grady, n.d.). Countless records point to Thales for his ingenuity and well-rounded interests. His approaches to explain the world, natural events, and cosmological events lead to developments in astronomy and philosophy (Gillispie, 1970-1980). Thales became known for pushing towards scientific thoughts rather than Godly ones, and was recognized for his unique thinking at the time. Many prominent writings from the time have been ascribed to Thales, however, these accounts have been mostly unreliable. Some say that Thales left little to no works
References: Beauvais, L. E. (2003, March 25). Hypata: One of Algebra 's "Parents". Retrieved from Infusing Equity By Gender into the Classroom: A Handbook of Classroom Practices: http://www.ricw.ri.gov/publications/GEH/lessons/267.htm Berlinghoff, W. P., & Gouvea, F. Q. (2004). Math through the Ages. Farmington: Octon House Publishers. Gillispie, C. C. (1970-1980). Dictionary of scientific biography. New York: Scribners ' Sons. O 'Grady, P. (n.d.). Thales. Retrieved from Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy: http://www.iep.utm.edu/thales/