Metaphilosophy

Is there any use in looking at the stars?

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Thales of Miletus

What is philosophy good for?

Two opposite ancient stories: the story goes, as Plato tells it in jest, that he fell into a well while stargazing; and, as Aristotle tells it, that he got rich renting olive presses to show that philosophy isn't useless.

story / legend · Platón, Theaetetus 174a

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Metaphilosophy · the philosophical life

What is claimed and why

  1. Plato (Theaetetus 174a) tells, as a jest about philosophers, that Thales fell into a well while watching the stars and a Thracian servant girl laughed at him. Burnet considers it a fable. story / legend
    Platón, Theaetetus (tr. Harold North Fowler) — 174a
    While he was studying the stars and looking upwards, he fell into a pit, and a neat, witty Thracian servant girl jeered at him, they say
    Diógenes Laercio, Lives of Eminent Philosophers (tr. José Ortiz y Sanz) — §10
    Refierese, que habiendole una vieja sacado de casa para que observase las estrellas, cayo en un hoyo
    John Burnet, Early Greek Philosophy — n29
    The story of Thales falling into a well (Plato, Theaet. 174 a) is nothing but a fable teaching the uselessness of σοφία
    Patricia O'Grady, Thales of Miletus (Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy) — §8f · consulted; copyrighted text, not reproduced
  2. Aristotle tells ('so the story goes') that, taunted with the uselessness of philosophy, Thales foresaw a large olive crop through astronomy, hired all the presses in Miletus and Chios, and made a fortune, showing that philosophers could be rich if they wished. story / legend
    Aristóteles, Politics (tr. H. Rackham) — 1259a
    Thales, so the story goes, because of his poverty was taunted with the uselessness of philosophy
    Diógenes Laercio, Lives of Eminent Philosophers (tr. R. D. Hicks) — 1.26
    Thales, foreseeing that it would be a good season for olives, rented all the oil-mills and thus amassed a fortune.
    John Burnet, Early Greek Philosophy — n29
    the anecdote about the "corner" in oil (Ar. Pol. A, 11. 1259 a 6) is intended to inculcate the opposite lesson.
    Patricia O'Grady, Thales of Miletus (Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy) — §14 · consulted; copyrighted text, not reproduced

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