Pythagoreans

Why Pythagoreans? We are about to begin a unit which will focus heavily on the Pythagorean Theorem—a theorem about right triangles and how to find the measures of the sides of these triangles. Pythagoreans have an interesting history…

Pythagoras Historically, Pythagoras means much more that the familiar theorem about right triangles. The philosophy of Pythagoras and his school has impacted the very fiber of mathematics and physics, even the western tradition of liberal education no matter what the discipline. Pythagorean  philosophy was the prime source of inspiration for Plato and Aristotle; the influence of these philosophers is without question and is immeasurable.

Pythagoras Himself Little is known of his life. Pythagoras (580-500 BC) was born on the western coast of what is now Turkey. His town was always in constant conflict. He was reportedly the son of a substantial citizen, Mnesarchos.

Pythagoras’ Education He met Thales, likely as a young man, who recommended he travel to Egypt. It seems certain that he gained much of his knowledge from the Egyptians, as had Thales before him. Probably because of continual conflicts and strife in his homeland, Pythagoras settled in Croton, on the eastern coast of Italy, a place of relative peace and safety. This is where Pythagoras began his society.

Pythagoras and the Pythagoreans The school of Pythagoras was every bit as much a religion as a school of mathematics. For example, here are some of the rules: To abstain from beans. Not to pick up what has fallen. Not to touch a white chicken. Not to stir the fire with iron. Do not look in a mirror beside a light. Vegetarianism was strictly practiced probably because Pythagoras preached the transmigration of souls.

Pythagoras and the Pythagoreans The school of Pythagoras represents the mystic tradition in contrast with the scientific!! Indeed, Pythagoras regarded himself as a mystic and even semi-divine. Said Pythagoras "There are men, gods, and men like Pythagoras." It is likely that Pythagoras  was a charasmatic.

Pythagoras and the Pythagoreans Life in the Pythagorean society was more-or-less egalitarian. The Pythagorean school regarded men and women equally. They enjoyed a common way of life. Property was communal. Even mathematical discoveries were communal and by association attributed to Pythagoras himself -- even from the grave. Hence, exactly what Pythagoras discovered personally is difficult to ascertain.

Pythagorean Philosophy The basis of the Pythagorean philosophy is simply stated: "There are three kinds of men and three sorts of people that attend the Olympic Games. The lowest class is made up of those who come to buy and sell, the next above them are those who compete. Best of all, however, are those who come simply to look on. The greatest purification of all is, therefore, disinterested science, and it is the man who devotes himself to that, the true philosopher, who has most effectually released himself from the 'wheel of birth.'"

Pythagorean Philosophy The dictum of the Pythagorean school was All is number. What this meant was that all things of the universe had a numerical attribute that uniquely described them. For example, The number one : the number of reason. The number two: the first even or female number, the number of opinion. The number three: the first true male number, the number of harmony. The number four: the number of justice or retribution. The number five: marriage. The number six: creation The number ten: the tetractys, the number of the universe.

Pythagorean Philosophy One point: generator of dimensions. Two points: generator of a line of dimension one Three points: generator of a triangle of dimension two Four points: generator of a tetrahedron, of dimension three. The sum of these is ten and represents all dimensions. Note the abstraction of concept. This is a distance from ``fingers and toes".

Findings Credited to Pythagoras Classification of numbers. The distinction between even and odd. (Originally, two was not considered even) Prime or incomposite numbers and secondary or composite numbers They proposed that there were an infinite number of primes. Figurate Numbers. Numbers geometrically constructed had a particular importance to the Pythagoreans. (Traingular, Square, Hexagonal, etc) Of course, the Pythagorean Theorem is credited to Pythagoras.

Effects of Pythagoreanism The combination of mathematics and theology began with Pythagoras. It characterized the religious philosophy in Greece, in the Middle ages, and down through Kant. In Plato, Aquinas, Descartes, Spinoza and Kant there is a blending of religion and reason, of moral aspiration with logical admiration of what is timeless. Platonism was essentially Pythagoreanism. The whole concept of an eternal world revealed to intellect but not to the senses can be attributed from the teachings of Pythagoras.

Pythagoras Dies but Tradition Continues… The Pythagorean School gained considerable influence and became politically active -- on the side of the aristocrasy. Probably because of this, after a time the citizens turned against him and his followers, burning his house. Forced out, he moved to another city in Southern Italy. Here he died at the ages of eighty. His school lived on, alternating between decline and re-emergence, for several hundred years. Tradition holds that Pythagoras left no written works, but that his ideas were carried on by his eager disciples.