Final answer:
Early Greek philosophers employed reason and logic to understand the natural world, marking a shift from myth-based explanations to primitive scientific thinking. They contemplated the fundamental principles of existence without relying on experimentation, which led to both profound insights and missed discoveries, like the theory of atomos proposed by Democritus.
Step-by-step explanation:
Early Greek Philosophers and Natural Philosophy
Rather than relying on creation myths to explain the natural world, the early Greek philosophers were pioneers in seeking explanations through reason and logic. They embarked on a quest to understand the nature of the world by speculating about its composition and origins. Notably, these thinkers questioned the cosmology of their time, which was deeply rooted in mythopoetic tales, and instead searched for a more rational explanation that did not rely on the gods. This shift from mythopoetic thought to a more primitive scientific thinking marked the progression towards philosophy as rational inquiry.
However, their methodology had limitations, as it lacked experimentation and empirical evidence. Influential philosophers like democritus, who proposed the theory of atomos, were dismissed because their ideas were not justified through life experiences or experimental validation. It was not until the advent of modern chemistry that the particle theory of matter became accepted as empirical reality.
Despite facing criticism and being ahead of their time, the early Greek philosophers laid the groundwork for future scientific exploration and philosophical thought, driving the evolution from natural philosophy to specialized disciplines in science.