## The social significance of science in its beginnings - understanding the world around us

Ancient Greece was a key culture for the development of science and the scientific thinking. Greek philosophers, representing various schools of thought (e.g., Athenian school, Stoic school, Epicureans, Sceptics, Sophists), brought forth new ideas, setting the ground for all kinds of natural and social sciences. The philosophers also devoted themselves to correct thinking, a critical view of the world and the art of discussion. In the 6th Century BC, the famous philosopher Thales from Miletus (generally known for the so-called Circle of Thales) claimed that earthquakes are not caused by the anger of the god Poseidon, but they are due to the strong impact of sea waves on the coasts. While we now know that this explanation is obviously wrong, however, it did open the way to investigate natural explanations for various natural phenomena. In addition, Thales calculated that the calendar year lasts 365 days and divided it into 4 periods that we still know today – spring, summer, autumn and winter. Among other scientists and philosophers, Hippocrates was important in the field of medicine (he described many diseases and introduced the Hippocratic Oath for doctors), while Euclid, Archimedes and Pythagoras had prominent positions among mathematicians. At that time, the astronomer Aristarchus was the first to describe the heliocentric model of the solar system (with the Sun in the centre, instead of Earth), while Socrates, Plato and Aristotle were among the most influential thinkers. In addition to practical problems, their focus was mainly on key concepts of mathematics, physics, and other scientific disciplines, which enabled them to explain several natural phenomena that had been previously attributed to gods. In particular, Aristotle's teaching served as the inspiration and source of knowledge even several centuries later, during the Renaissance period.