Unveiling the World's First Scientist
The world's first scientist is a subject of debate, but the term "scientist" was coined by William Whewell in the early 1830s. However, if we define a scientist as someone who follows the scientific method, Francis Bacon is often credited as the first. Yet, even Bacon formalized existing practices. The true first scientist may be Ḥasan Ibn al-Haytham, an Islamic scholar who made significant contributions to optics, medicine, astronomy, and mathematics during the Islamic Golden Age. Another contender is Thales of Miletus, an ancient Greek philosopher who engaged in science, math, philosophy, and deductive reasoning. While Thales had some incorrect theories, he laid the foundation for scientific inquiry.
