Who contributed to the debate in physics by trying to identify a basic substance that constitutes all physical objects?

Thales of Miletus is recognized for his pioneering ideas in early philosophy and science, particularly in the realm of physics. He is credited with positing that water is the fundamental substance or arche that constitutes all physical objects. Thales' emphasis on a single, underlying principle for the diversity of the material world marked a significant departure from mythological explanations, steering toward a more rational and naturalistic understanding of existence. This laid the groundwork for subsequent philosophical inquiry into the nature of reality and matter.

The contributions of other thinkers, such as Heraclitus, who focused on change and the idea that everything is in a state of flux, and Pythagoras, who emphasized numerical relationships and mathematical concepts in understanding the universe, all fall into different categories of thought. Empedocles, while he did propose that all matter is composed of four elements (earth, air, fire, and water), did not identify a single basic substance like Thales did. Hence, Thales stands out as the thinker most directly linked to the search for a fundamental substance in physical objects.