Before natural philosophy, ancient societies reasoned about the natural world through stories, most well recorded of which are the classic ancient Greek myths. These myths would explain natural phenomenons such as lightning being from Zeus or winter coming from Persephone’s abduction. Under this context is where we receive Thales (626 BCE - 548 BCE). Thales famously introduced the idea of using rationale to understand the natural world instead of mythology, and is widely considered the “first philosopher”.
He set into motion Natural Philosophy, which is the study of the natural world, seeking rational and empirical explanations over mythical ones. Natural Philosophy has extended through history to the modern age, but has had different shapes at different points in time.
Ancient Period (6th century BCE - 5th century BCE)
Milesian School
All natural things are are created from a single ultimate substance
- Thales - Water is the base substance
- Anaximander - Apeiron (formless, infinite substance) is the base substance
- Anaximenes - Air is the base substance
Empedocles (494 BCE – 434 BC)
All things are constructed from the four classical elements - water, earth, fire, air.
Democritus
The world is made of particles that cannot be broken down any further, but can be combined to create all things, aka atoms.