Thales believed everything proceeded from and would eventually return to
water. He believed that water was the fundamental substance from which all things were created and that all things would ultimately return to water. This belief was known as the "Hylozoic Principle," which held that everything in the universe is alive and has a soul. Thales saw water as the source of life and believed that all forms of matter, including earth, air, and fire, could be reduced to and transformed from water. He also believed that water was the underlying force behind all natural processes, such as the growth of plants and the movement of the stars. To Thales, water represented the dynamic and ever-changing nature of the universe.
Thales, an ancient Greek philosopher, believed that everything proceeded from and would eventually return to a single, fundamental substance. This substance, according to Thales, was water. He viewed water as the source of all things, claiming that all forms of matter could either be water or transformed from water. Thales believed that water had the ability to change into air or earth, and vice versa, through various transformations. In short, he believed that all things in the world had their ultimate origins in water and would ultimately return to it.
Thales, the ancient Greek philosopher, believed in the concept of a universal substance from which everything in the world originated and would eventually return to. This concept is known as the "arche" or "principle."
To understand Thales' belief more comprehensively, I would suggest exploring his philosophy. Start by reading reputable sources such as books or scholarly articles that discuss Thales and his ideas. You can find information in philosophy books, ancient Greek philosophy textbooks, or online platforms dedicated to philosophy.
To gain a deeper understanding of Thales' ideas, it is also valuable to study other pre-Socratic philosophers from ancient Greece, as many of them held similar beliefs about the fundamental nature of reality.
By studying the primary sources and secondary works on Thales and his philosophical ideas, you will be able to grasp the nuances of his philosophy and get a clearer understanding of his belief that everything proceeded from and would eventually return to a fundamental substance.