The impact of Pythagorean philosophy

Most pre-Socratic philosophers tried to unravel the mystery of the universe in different ways. For instance, Thales gave a non-religious explanation of the cosmos in the 6th century BCE. He was the founder of the Milesian School of Philosophy. Pythagoras too was born in Miletus, Greece. Although very little is known about him, Pythagoras is believed to have studied at the Milesian School of Philosophy. He is also known to have visited Egypt, the cultural hub of the ancient world, where he learnt the rudiments of geometry. As a result, Pythagoras approached philosophy in a scientific way.

Unlike many western philosophers, Pythagoras was a deeply religious person who believed in superstitions. He believed in reincarnation and the transmigration of the soul. With that background, he set up a religious cult with himself as its leader or messiah. His disciples had to follow a strict code of ethics and dietary rules. The Pythagoreans or his ardent pupils believed that his ideas were mystical revelations.

Pythagoras has not left any of his writings. As a result, we do not know what he taught his students. Modern scholars, however, believe that Pythagoras had about 300 pupils in his academy. At the age of 60 he got married to a young girl who eventually became one of his pupils. When hostility grew towards the Pythagorean cult in Croton, he fled to Metapontum where he died later. The Pythagorean cult disappeared at the end of the 4th century BCE.

Contradictory concepts

Pythagoras’ philosophy comes to us through the records kept by his students, wife and two daughters. Today mysticism and science are two contradictory concepts. However, he did not consider them to be contradictory. The Buddha said that the final goal of life should be the cessation of birth. Similarly, Pythagoras said that the goal of life is freedom from the cycle of reincarnation. The Buddha and Pythagoras advocated strict adherence to a set of behavioural rules.

Pythagoras depended heavily on mathematical proof rather than observations. He said even the cosmos was governed by mathematical rules. Modern philosophers, however, look at the world from a different perspective. They do not rely purely on mathematical rules. The Pythagorean explanation of the creation of the universe was based on a mathematical pattern. However, he believed that God imposed a limit to everything that exists in the world. Out of this measurable unity everything else was formed.

Pythagoras’ most important contribution to philosophy is the relationship between numbers. He said, “Number is the ruler of forms.” Another contribution made by him is the principle of deductive reasoning. It plays a major role in logic along with inductive or scientific reasoning. Deductive reasoning is the step-by-step process of starting with self-evident axioms to arrive at a conclusion. The following syllogism is a popular example for deductive reasoning:

All men are mortal.
Socrates is a man.
Therefore, Socrates is mortal.

As far as philosophy is concerned Pythagoras said that abstract theory is superior to the evidence of the senses. This led to Plato’s Theory of Forms.

Cosmic harmony

According to Pythagoras, the universe is an ordered whole consisting harmonies of contrasting elements. The Pythagoreans were the first to use the term “Cosmos” which means “ordered whole.” In contrast to the nearly mystical quality of the Heraclitean “Logos”, Pythagorean cosmos is accessible to arithmetic, geometry and rationality.

The Pythagoreans coined the term “celestial music of the spheres” to describe the sound of the heavens as they rotate according to cosmic numbers and harmony.

After the execution of Socrates, Plato left Athens and wandered for 12 years. Apart from studying mathematics and mysticism, he learnt Pythagorean philosophy which relied heavily on mathematics as the basis of everything. This shows the impact of Pythagorean philosophy on later philosophers such as Plato.

Aesara of Lucania, a Pythagorean philosopher said, “Through the introspection of contemplation of our own souls we can discover the ‘natural’ foundation of all law and the structure of morality.” She stressed the importance of reason as a guide, without overcoming the significance of emotions. Aesara is one of the few women philosophers who came to prominence in recent times. The impact of Pythagorean philosophy can be seen even in modern philosophy to a great extent.