Pythagoras

Mathematical mystic whose theorem transformed numerical philosophy

Pythagoras of Samos (c. 570–495 BCE) created an enduring legacy through his fusion of mathematics and mysticism. While best known for the Pythagorean theorem (a² + b² = c²), his true innovation was proposing that numerical relationships govern reality – a concept influencing science, music, and philosophy.

Key contributions include:

• Discovery of mathematical harmonics in music
• Development of numerical cosmology
• Establishment of the first Western philosophical school

The Pythagorean brotherhood's discoveries extended beyond geometry:

Though shrouded in mystical practices, Pythagoras' mathematical rigor inspired Plato's Academy and modern scientific thought. His school's secretive nature ("All is number") paradoxically preserved knowledge through antiquity's turbulent periods.