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Thales (ancient Greek philosopher)
Thales is one of the ancient Greek philosophers and is considered as one of the founders of western philosophy. His thoughts and contributions had a far-reaching impact on later disciplines such as philosophy, mathematics and astronomy. This paper will introduce Thales' life, thoughts and contributions, and discuss the enlightenment of his philosophy to modern science and technology.

First, the life of Thales

Thales was born in Miletus, an ancient Greek city around 624 BC. He is a businessman and mathematician, and his family owns a maritime trading company. According to legend, Thales predicted that the olive harvest would be good in a year, so he rented all the olive crushing plants. When the olives were ripe, he sold them at a high price and made a lot of money. This story illustrates Thales' business acumen and mathematical talent.

Second, Thales' thought.

1. Water is the source of everything.

Thales' philosophy mainly focuses on natural philosophy. He believes that water is the source of all things, and all things come from water. He thinks that the earth is a disk floating on the water, and the sun, moon and stars are zenith flames. Although his theory was wrong, it inspired later philosophers and scientists to explore nature and laws.

2. Mathematics and Geometry

Thales is an outstanding mathematician and geometer. He discovered some geometric theorems, such as: in a circle, the diameter is the longest line segment; In a right triangle, the square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the two waists. These theorems had a great influence on the later development of mathematics and geometry.

3. Wisdom and virtue

Thales thinks that wisdom and virtue are the most important qualities of a person. He emphasizes the importance of morality and morality, and thinks that a person must have noble morality and moral character if he wants to be a real philosopher.

Third, Thales' contribution.

1. Founder of philosophy

Thales is considered as one of the founders of western philosophy. His thoughts and contributions had a far-reaching impact on later disciplines such as philosophy, mathematics and astronomy. His philosophy provided a foundation for later philosophers and scientists to explore nature and laws.

2. Development of Mathematics and Geometry

Thales is an outstanding mathematician and geometer. He discovered some geometric theorems, such as: in a circle, the diameter is the longest line segment; In a right triangle, the square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the two waists. These theorems had a great influence on the later development of mathematics and geometry.

3. Exploration of scientific methods

Thales' thoughts and contributions provide a foundation for the exploration of scientific methods. He discovered the laws of nature by observing nature and experiments, which provided a scientific exploration method for later scientists.

Fourthly, the enlightenment of Thales' philosophy to modern science and technology.

Thales' philosophy has profound enlightenment to modern science and technology. His thoughts and contributions laid the foundation for the development of modern science and technology. His observation and experimental methods provide a method for the exploration of modern science, and his achievements in mathematics and geometry provide a mathematical basis for the development of modern science and technology.

At the same time, Thales' philosophy also provides some important enlightenment for modern society. His emphasis on morality and moral character reminds us to pay attention to the cultivation of morality and moral character in modern society. He thinks that wisdom and virtue are the most important qualities of a person, which reminds us to pay attention to the cultivation of people's inner qualities in modern society.