The Birth of Western Philosophy

Western philosophy was said to begin in the sixth century B.C. with a philosopher

named Thales in Asia-Minor in the Greek city-state Miletus. So this raises the

question: what exactly happened at this time, that makes it the birth of Western

philosophy? The philosophers of this time weren't the first great thinkers the world

had seen. And certainly, people had philosophical thoughts prior to this time.

The great epic poets Homer and Hesiod both wrote about issues that were considered to be

philosophical issues. Greek mythology contains all sorts of philosophical notions (good/evil

right/wrong, explanations of worldly phenomena, etc.). So just what is