泰勒斯(Thales)约公元前640年,生于小亚细亚(今属土耳其)的爱奥尼亚西岸的米利都城的一个奴隶主贵族家庭,从小受过良好的教育.他是在数学史上留名的第一人,古希腊第一个闻名世界的大数学家,被公认为希腊几何学的创始人和希腊“七贤”之首.他多才多艺,对古希腊的天文学和哲学等许多方面,也作出过开拓性的贡献. 泰勒斯原是一位很精明的商人.靠卖橄榄油积累了相当财富后,便专心从事科学研究和旅行.他勤奋好学,同时又不迷信古人, Thales (about 640 BC), a slave-owner aristocrat family born in the capital of Ionia on the western coast of Ionia in Asia Minor (now Turkey), was educated at a young age. He was the first person in the history of mathematics. One person, the first big mathematician known to the world in ancient Greece, was recognized as the founder of Greek geometry and the head of the Greek “seven sages.” He was versatile, and he had many aspects of ancient Greek astronomy and philosophy. Made a pioneering contribution. Thales was originally a very smart businessman. After he had accumulated considerable wealth by selling olive oil, he devoted himself to scientific research and travel. He was diligent and eager to learn, and at the same time he was not superstitious to the ancients.