Thales (English pronunciation:/ˈθeɪliːz/; Greek: Θαλῆς, Thalēs; c. 624 BC – c. 546 BC) was a Phoenician pre-Socratic philosopher from Miletus in Asia Minor, regarded as one of the Seven Sages of Greece. Many, most notably Aristotle, regard him as the first philosopher in the Greek tradition. According to Bertrand Russell, "Western philosophy begins with Thales." In turn, his thought was greatly influenced by the Egyptian and Babylonian philosophical traditions. The study of logic and proof has played a central role in mathematics since the times of Thales Miletus, who is regarded as one of the earliest known mathematicians to offer deductive arguments.