Pythagoras

Pythagoras of Samos was a famous Greek mathematician and philosopher (c. 569 – c. 475 BC).^[2][3]

Pythagoras
Bust of Pythagoras of Samos in the Capitoline Museums, Rome[1]
Born	c. 570 BC Samos
Died	c. 495 BC (aged around 75) either Croton or Metapontum
Era	Pre-Socratic philosophy
Region	Western philosophy
School	Pythagoreanism
Main interests	Ethics Mathematics Metaphysics Music theory Mysticism Politics Religion
Notable ideas	Communalism Metempsychosis Musica universalis Attributed ideas: Five climatic zones Five regular solids Proportions Pythagorean theorem Pythagorean tuning Earth is a sphere Vegetarianism

Bust of Pythagoras at the Vatican Museum

Graphical demonstration of the Pythagorean theorem

He is best known for the proof of an important Pythagorean theorem, This is about right angle triangles.

He started a group of followers called the Pythagoreans, who lived like monks.^[2][3]

Life and travels

Pythagoras was born in Samos, a little island off the western coast of Asia Minor. Pythagoras traveled to many places, including Miletus, Egypt, Babylon, and southern Italy. Southern Italy was where he founded the Pythagorean school, in the town of Croton.^[2][3]

Impact

Pythagoras had a great impact on mathematics and theory of music. His theories are still used in mathematics today. Since he worked very closely with his group, the Pythagoreans, it is sometimes hard to tell his works from those of his followers.^[2][3]

Religion was important to the Pythagoreans. They believed the soul is immortal and goes through a cycle of rebirths^[3] until it becomes pure.^[2]

His beliefs

Pythagoras' most important beliefs were that:

1. At its deepest level, reality is mathematical in nature,
2. Philosophy can be used for spiritual purification,
3. The soul can rise to union with the divine,
4. Certain symbols have a mystical significance, and
5. All brothers and sisters of the order should observe strict loyalty and secrecy.^[2]

Pythagorean theorem

Pythagorean theorem

Pythagoras is most famous for his theorem about right triangles. He said that the length of the longest side of the right angled triangle (called the hypotenuse) squared would equal the sum of the other two sides squared: a² + b² = c². There are many different proofs for this Pythagorean theorem.^[3]

Sources

• Joost-Gaugier, Christiane L. (2006), Measuring Heaven: Pythagoras and his Influence on Thought and Art in Antiquity and the Middle Ages, Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, ISBN 978-0-8014-7409-5