Anaximander was the pupil of Thales and the second master of Milesian School furthermore my favourite pre-socratic philosopher. Like his teacher, his main interests were in natural philosophy, geometry, and astronomy. Also, he was the first man draw a map of the known world though older map was found in Babylon without any information about its drawer.
His most known theory is about the origin of matter and universe. Like his contemporaries he had an idea about it too. But it was not a matter as water, fire, air or something else could be found in nature. He claimed that the origin of the universe is a matter which was not exist anymore, Apeiron – Boundless (which had no limit). And the things become to be excited now, he added Universe was neither created nor constructed, it just evolved.
It seems easy to argue something like that, however Anaximander was the first philosopher who tried to find and explain his arguments that led him to these theories. First he observed substances that already existed, air, fire, water. All of them were opposite of the others however they existed in constant portions in nature as if among them there was something that hold the justice. Anaximander concluded any of them could not be the original or primal substance since if it was so; there would be only single substance. So, primal substance which should be neutral could not exist in the earth anymore, and he called it, Apeiron. The other extraordinary conclusion was the idea of eternal motion of universe. Forces or laws whatever it is, there is something hold the balance between substances and universe was on motion according to these laws (Natural Laws). He argued universe evolved from Aperion by these laws, furthermore anything existed in it too. For example, there was evolution also in the animal kingdom. Living creatures arose from the moist element as it was evaporated by the sun. Man, like every other animal, was descended from fishes. He must be derived from animals of a different sort, because, owing to his long infancy, he could not have survived, originally, as he is now.
However, the real definition of Aperion (Boundless) is still controversial but its self-defined, unchangeable, unable to die and indestructible characteristics.
He went on and argued that there could be several universes. By this argument he move one step forward then Big Bang Theory which only describes the formation of our own universe similar to the Apeiron Theory of Anaximender.
Anaximender tried to understand things around him not mystically but rationalistic. It was too easy for him to argue a thing with a supreme power wanted and let everything is done.
The other Notes on Anaximender;
He was born in 610 BC and dead in 547 BC.
3rd-century Roman rhetorician Aelian depicts him as leader of the Milesian colony to Apollonia on the Black Sea coast.
His major contribution to history was writing the oldest prose document about the Universe and the origins of life; for this he is often called the "Father of Cosmology" and founder of astronomy.
Anaximander attributed some phenomena, such as thunder and lightning, to the intervention of elements, rather than to divine causes. In his system, thunder results from the shock of clouds hitting each other; the loudness of the sound is proportionate with that of the shock. Thunder without lightning is the result of the wind being too weak to emit any flame, but strong enough to produce a sound. A flash of lightning without thunder is a jolt of the air that disperses and falls, allowing a less active fire to break free. Thunderbolts are the result of a thicker and more violent air flow.
Anaximander was the first to publish a map of the world
