— Thales of MiletusReported in Aristotle, De Caelo B13, 294a28, and in other doxographical sources; approximate English rendering
Commentary
This doctrine, reported by Aristotle as one of the cosmological views associated with Thales, holds that the earth rests upon water in the manner of a floating vessel. Aristotle criticises the view and uses it to illustrate early attempts to explain the stability of the earth by material support. G. S. Kirk, J. E. Raven, and M. Schofield note that the doctrine accords with the general Milesian view of water as the principle of all things, and they treat it as an illustration of how Thales' first principle was applied to cosmology. Charles Kahn argues that the image of the earth on water was a natural extension of the Milesian cosmology, which imagined the world as a structure within a single material medium. Jonathan Barnes observes that Aristotle's reporting is polemical, and that the doctrine should be read with attention to his criticisms. W. K. C. Guthrie discusses the image as part of the early attempts to offer physical accounts of the earth's position. The English is an approximation of Aristotle's report, and the Greek should be checked before quotation.
Commentary
This doctrine, reported by Aristotle as one of the cosmological views associated with Thales, holds that the earth rests upon water in the manner of a floating vessel. Aristotle criticises the view and uses it to illustrate early attempts to explain the stability of the earth by material support. G. S. Kirk, J. E. Raven, and M. Schofield note that the doctrine accords with the general Milesian view of water as the principle of all things, and they treat it as an illustration of how Thales' first principle was applied to cosmology. Charles Kahn argues that the image of the earth on water was a natural extension of the Milesian cosmology, which imagined the world as a structure within a single material medium. Jonathan Barnes observes that Aristotle's reporting is polemical, and that the doctrine should be read with attention to his criticisms. W. K. C. Guthrie discusses the image as part of the early attempts to offer physical accounts of the earth's position. The English is an approximation of Aristotle's report, and the Greek should be checked before quotation.