Pitágoras, O Primeiro Matemático Puro

Summary

Pythagoras, born on the island of Samos in ancient Greece around 570 BC, was a philosopher, mathematician, and astronomer. He is best known for the Pythagorean theorem, but his contributions extend beyond that, including the discovery of rational numbers and the five regular solids. Pythagoras founded a philosophical and religious school in Croton (modern-day southern Italy), where his followers, known as Pythagoreans, lived under strict rules and shared intellectual discoveries. Despite the uncertainty surrounding his life and death, Pythagoras's legacy has endured, influencing mathematics and science for centuries.

Takeaways

• 😀 Pythagoras was born on the island of Samos in Greece, but very little is known for sure about his life, including his birth and death dates.
• 😀 Pythagoras was educated with musical talents and an interest in poetry, but his primary passions were mathematics, philosophy, and astronomy.
• 😀 Influenced by philosophers and mathematicians such as Pherecydes, Thales, and Anaximander, Pythagoras shaped his philosophical and scientific views.
• 😀 Around 532 BC, Pythagoras moved to Croton (now a part of Italy), where he later founded a philosophical and religious school.
• 😀 Pythagoras' followers, known as the Pythagoreans, lived according to strict rules, including abstaining from personal possessions and following a vegetarian diet.
• 😀 The Pythagoreans worked collaboratively on intellectual discoveries, with ideas often being shared without credit to individual members.
• 😀 It is uncertain whether all the mathematical theories attributed to Pythagoras were solely his, as many were developed collectively by his followers.
• 😀 The Pythagoreans made major contributions, including the discovery of rational numbers, the five regular solids, and the famous Pythagorean theorem.
• 😀 Pythagoras taught that the Earth was a sphere at the center of the universe and that celestial bodies were spherical, with planetary orbits being circular.
• 😀 The circumstances of Pythagoras' death are unclear, with various accounts suggesting he was either killed by a mob or died in exile after his school was destroyed.
• 😀 Pythagoras' mathematical legacy, particularly the Pythagorean theorem, remains a cornerstone of modern mathematics, with over 400 different proofs developed.

Q & A

Where was Pythagoras born?

Pythagoras was born on the island of Samos, located in the Aegean Sea, Greece.

What is known about Pythagoras' early life?

Pythagoras was well-educated with musical talents and an interest in poetry. He was deeply fascinated by mathematics, philosophy, and astronomy.

Who influenced Pythagoras in his studies?

Pythagoras was influenced by the philosopher Pherecydes of Syros, the mathematician and astronomer Thales of Miletus, and the philosopher and geometer Anaximander.

Where did Pythagoras establish his philosophical school?

Pythagoras migrated to Croton, in what is now southern Italy, around 532 BC, where he later founded his philosophical and religious school.

What was the lifestyle of Pythagoras' followers like?

Pythagoras' followers, called Pythagoreans, lived by strict rules including regulating their speech, clothing, and diet. They had no personal possessions and were vegetarians.

What were the key intellectual contributions of the Pythagoreans?

The Pythagoreans are credited with discovering rational numbers, identifying the five regular solids, and formulating the Pythagorean Theorem.

What did Pythagoras teach about the Earth and the universe?

Pythagoras taught that the Earth was spherical and centered in the universe. He believed that the cosmos, including planets and stars, were spherical because the sphere is the most perfect solid.

How did Pythagoras view the paths of planets?

Pythagoras taught that the paths of planets were circular.

What are the various accounts of Pythagoras' death?

The accounts of Pythagoras' death vary. Some say he was killed by an angry mob, others say he died during a war between Agrigentum and Syracuse, or his school was burned and he fled to Metapontum, where he eventually died from starvation.

What is the lasting impact of Pythagoras' work?

Pythagoras' most famous contribution, the Pythagorean Theorem, remains a fundamental concept in mathematics. Over 400 different proofs of this theorem exist, illustrating its lasting relevance.