Milesians

The Milesians were early Greek philosophers from the city of Miletus who, around the 6th century BCE, sought to understand the natural world without relying on mythology. They focused on finding the fundamental substance or principle (arche) that underlies all matter. Thales believed water was this basic substance, Anaximander proposed the "apeiron" (an unlimited or indefinite thing), and Anaximenes thought air was key. Their ideas marked the beginning of scientific thinking, emphasizing observation and reasoning about nature instead of myths. The Milesians are considered among the first to practice logical inquiry and natural philosophy.