Thales

This philosopher proposed that water is the origin of all things. Nietzsche claimed that this must be taken seriously for three reasons.
  1. It makes a statement about the primal origin of all things;
  2. It uses language that has nothing to do with fable or myth;
  3. It reflects the vision that all things are really one.
Thales' generalization was the result of creative imagination and analogy. He did not use reason, logical proof, myth, or allegory. This was a first attempt to think about nature without the use of myths about gods. However, instead of trying to gain knowledge of everything, he wanted to know the one important common property of all things.
In order to communicate his vision of oneness, he expressed himself by applying the analogy of water.