Pythagoras

Pythagoras (c.582–507 B.C.), Greek philosopher who founded the Pythagorean school. Attributed to the school are: the proof of the Pythagorean theorem (the suggestion that the earth travels around the sun, the sun in turn around a central fire); observation of the ratios between the lengths of vibrating strings that sound in mutual harmony, and ascription of such ratios to the distances of the planets, which sounded the “harmony of the spheres”; and the proposition that all phenomena can be reduced to numerical relations. The Pythagoreans were also noted for their concept of the soul, the life of moderation, and their interest in medicine. They exerted great influence on Plato and ancient philosophy generally.

See also: Philosophy.