Thales of Miletus, a philosopher and mathematician, predicted a total solar eclipse in 585 BCE, which ended the battle between Media and Lydia. The podcast delves into Thales' enigmatic life, his mathematical contributions, and the historical interpretations of celestial events during the battle. It discusses the mystery of Thales' eclipse prediction and the challenges of aligning historical records with astronomical events.
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Quick takeaways
Thales predicted a total solar eclipse leading to the end of a battle, sparking historical debate.
Thales proposed water as the fundamental substance of the universe, contributing to Western philosophy.
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Thales of Miletus and the Eclipse Prediction
Thales of Miletus, an ancient Greek philosopher, reportedly predicted a total solar eclipse during a battle between the kingdoms of Media and Lydia in 585 BCE. The eclipse led to the end of the battle and the war, although there is ongoing debate about the accuracy and details of this event.
Debates Around Thales' Life and Contributions
Thales, known as one of the seven wise men of Greece, founded the Miletian School of Philosophy. He proposed that water is the fundamental substance of the universe and believed that everything had a soul. His ideas encompassed cosmology and astronomy, contributing to the foundation of Western thought.
Challenges in Verifying Thales' Eclipse Prediction
The historical account of Thales predicting the solar eclipse poses challenges in verifying the accuracy of the prediction and the actual occurrence of the event. Astronomers have debated the specifics of the eclipse, the precise date, and the methods Thales might have used for prediction, highlighting the complex intersection of history, astronomy, and mythology.
On May 28, in the year 585 BCE, there was a total solar eclipse during a battle between the kingdoms of Media and Lydia. This eclipse had been predicted by Thales of Miletus, and it led to the ends of both the battle and the war. Maybe.
Research:
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"Thales." Complete Dictionary of Scientific Biography, vol. 13, Charles Scribner's Sons, 2008, pp. 295-298. Gale In Context: U.S. History, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX2830904273/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=78008eeb. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.
Airy, G. B. “On the Eclipses of Agathocles, Thales, and Xerxes.” Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, vol. 143, 1853, pp. 179–200. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/108561. Accessed 21 Mar. 2024.
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Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Thales of Miletus". Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Dec. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thales-of-Miletus. Accessed 20 March 2024.
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Downey, Ed. “Thales of Miletus.” Great Neck Publishing. 8/1/2017. Via EBSCO.
Leloux, Kevin. “The Battle of the Eclipse (May 28, 585 BC): A Discussion of the Lydo-Median Treaty and the Halys Border.” Polemos 19 (2016). https://hrcak.srce.hr/file/264738
Miguel Querejeta, ‘On the Eclipse of Thales, Cycles and Probabilities’, Culture And Cosmos, Vol. 15, no. 1, Spring/Summer 2011, pp. 5–16. www.CultureAndCosmos.org
Mosshammer, Alden A. “Thales' Eclipse.” Transactions of the American Philological Association (1974-2014). 1981, Vol. 111 (1981). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/284125
O’Grady, Patricia. “Thales of Miletus (c. 620 B.C.E.—c. 546 B.C.E.).” Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. https://iep.utm.edu/thales/
Redlin, Lothar et al. “Thales' Shadow.” Mathematics Magazine , Dec., 2000, Vol. 73, No. 5 (Dec., 2000). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/2690810
Stanley, Matthew. “Predicting the Past: Ancient Eclipses and Airy, Newcomb, and Huxley on the Authority of Science.” Isis, vol. 103, no. 2, 2012, pp. 254–77. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.1086/666355. Accessed 21 Mar. 2024.
Worthen, Thomas. “Herodotus’ Report on Thales’ Eclipse.” Vol. 3, No. 7. May 1997. https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/ElAnt/V3N7/worthen.html