Pythagoras biography wiki

Greek philosopher (c. 570 – c. 495 BC)

"Pythagoras of Samos" redirects here. For the Samian statuary, see Pythagoras (sculptor).

For other uses, see Pythagoras (disambiguation).

Pythagoras of Samos (Ancient Greek: Πυθαγόρας; c. 570 – c. 495 BC) was an ancient IonianGreek philosopher, polymath, and the eponymous founder of Pythagoreanism. His political and religious teachings were well known in Magna Graecia and influenced the philosophies of Plato, Aristotle, and, through them, the West in general. Knowledge of his life is clouded by legend; modern scholars disagree regarding Pythagoras's education and influences, but they do agree that, around 530 BC, he travelled to Croton in southern Italy, where he founded a school in which initiates were sworn to secrecy and lived a communal, ascetic lifestyle.

In antiquity, Pythagoras was credited with many mathematical and scientific discoveries, including the Pythagorean theorem, Pythagorean tuning, the five regular solids, the Theory of Proportions, the sphericity of the Earth, and the identity of the morning and evening stars as the planet Venus. It was said that he was the first man to call himself a philosopher ("lover of wisdom") and that he was the first to divide the globe into five climatic zones. Classical historians debate whether Pythagoras made these discoveries, and many of the accomplishments credited to him likely originated earlier or were made by his colleagues or successors. Some accounts mention that the philosophy associated with Pythagoras was related to mathematics and that numbers were important, but it is debated to what extent, if at all, he actually contributed to mathematics or natural philosophy.

The teaching most securely identified with Pythagoras is the "transmigration of souls" or metempsychosis, which holds that every soul is immortal and, upon death, enters into a new body. He may have also devised the d

Pythagoras of Samos (Πυθαγόρας; c. 570 BC – c. 496 BC) was an Ionian Greek philosopher often revered as a great mathematician, mystic, scientist, and putative founder of the traditions referred to as Pythagoreanism.

Quotes

• Dear youths, I warn you cherish peacedivine,
  And in your hearts lay deep these words of mine.

• Τὴν δ' ἀνθρώπου ψυχὴν διῃρῆσθαι τριχῆ, εἴς τε νοῦν καὶ φρένας καὶ θυμόν. νοῦν μὲν οὖν καὶ θυμὸν εἶναι καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις ζῴοις, φρένας δὲ μόνον ἐν ἀνθρώπῳ.

• ἀλλήλοις θ᾽ ὁμιλεῖν, ὡς τοὺς μὲν φίλους ἐχθροὺς μὴ ποιῆσαι, τοὺς δ᾽ ἐχθροὺς φίλους ἐργάσασθαι. ἴδιόν τε μηδὲν ἡγεῖσθαι.

• ἐν ὀργῇ μήτε τι λέγειν μήτε πράσσειν
  • In anger we should refrain both from speech and action.
  • As quoted in Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers, "Pythagoras", Sect. 23–24, as translated in Dictionary of Quotations (1906) by Thomas Benfield Harbottle, p. 370

• Reason is immortal, all else mortal.
  • As quoted in Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers, Sect. 30, as translated by Robert Drew Hicks (1925); also in The Demon and the Quantum: From the Pythagorean Mystics to Maxwell's Demon (2007) by Robert J. Scully, Marlan O. Scully, p. 11

• The most momentous thing in human life is the art of winning the soul to good or to evil.
  • As quoted in Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers, as translated by Robert Drew Hicks (1925)
  • Variant translation: The most momentous thing in human life is the art of winning the soul to good or evil.
    • As quoted in Ionia, a Quest (1954) by Freya Stark, p. 94

• Power is the near neighbour of necessity.
  • As quoted in Aurea Carmina (8) by Hierocles of Alexandria, as translated in Dictionary of Quotations (1906) by Thomas Benfield Harbottle, p. 356

• Number is the ruler of forms and ideas, and the cause of gods and daemons.
  • As quoted in Life of Pythagoras (c. 300) by Iamblichus of Chalcis, as translated by Thomas Taylor (1818)
  • Variants:

Pythagoras of Samos was a famous Greekmathematician and philosopher (c. 569 –c. 475 BC).

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Sources

References

Other websites